Paper Hearts
by sayjay1995
Summary: In which a bet made by Naruto gets taken too far, and Sasuke is forced to either give Sakura a heartfelt Valentine's Day gift or stand back and let Naruto handle his undesired love life. Eventual SasuSaku fluff, rated T for occasional language
1. Placing Bets

**A/N: Hello readers! I'm blowing dust off of the shelves in my mind where all my story plots seem to hide, hoping to find something worthwhile lodged with all the dark, dank dirt. Looks like I stumbled onto something, but whether it's any good or not is up to you to decide! Speaking will "be like this, of course," and thinking **_**'like this, duh!'**_

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Also it's been awhile since I've seen it, so thank Jashin for Toonami playing the originals again! I get sooo many feels when I see the old episodes! Also, I'll leave it up to you to decide for yourself if the story fits better pre- or post-shippuden. I don't really care either way, I just want to write something amusing. **

**Paper Hearts**

**Chapter 1**

It was unseasonably warm for a mid-morning in February. The wispy remains of the fallen snow had melted down into a messy, sticky mud that clung to the bottom of the open toed sandals preferred by _shinobi_. The jackets donned by the locals were light and left open, as if their bodies were sponges out to absorb as much fresh sunlight as possible. The faintest sniffs of spring floated in the air, tossed to and fro from the gentle yet constant passing breeze. It was a beautiful day with the weather promising to last into the following week.

Team Seven was never one to miss out on apropos training times; no sooner had the first patches of grass begun to poke out from their blanket of slushy snow then Kakashi had rounded up his two favorite boys from their cozy beds, waving them off to their usual spot with a promise of punctuality. That had been nearly two hours ago. Naruto huffed as he kicked at a slush pile at his feet, his expression sour and impatient. Sasuke had perched himself on a rock to both avoid the mud and Naruto's bitching, but of course both found ample ways to annoy him.

"All I'm saying is it wouldn't kill him to show up on time once and awhile! What if I had somewhere else to be, like on a super secret top mission for the Hokage and I missed out because I was stuck waiting around for Mr. Can't-Show-Up-On-Time?!"

Naruto whined and crossed his arms, glaring up at Sasuke expectantly. Did the fool really expect him to sit there and whimper childishly over matters they couldn't control? Please. For awhile, Sasuke pretended he hadn't heard a word the blonde had said and closed his eyes to show it. Naruto wasn't taking silence for an answer; he repeated himself multiple times, his voice growing louder and more aggravating until Sasuke could feel the vein in his forehead pulsing.

"Do you _have_ a super secret top mission to be on?"

Sasuke growled in irritation. Naruto made a face and scratched the back of his head.

"Well, no, but-"

"Then shut up about it,"

"Hey, you aren't the boss of me! Sitting up there acting like you're so big and cool!"

Naruto flailed his fist around his head, his tone growing even louder. He got no reply. Sasuke was really beginning to tick him off, and he needed to find a way to return the favor. His whiskered cheeks lifted up as a sneaky grin spread across his lips, his eyes glimmering with mischief. Oh, he knew exactly what to say to get under Sasuke's skin, even if he wouldn't admit to it.

"Are you yelling already, Naruto? It's a little early for that,"

Kakashi peered out from over his newest _Paradise_ book, an amused look on his face.

"You're late AGAIN Sensei! Why can't you ever show up on time for things? Gah, you're hopeless, you know that!?"

Naruto declared, pointing an accusing finger in the white haired man's direction. Kakashi shrugged as if he really didn't care, which he didn't, and turned his head Sasuke's way. He watched the Uchiha boy watch him, but said nothing, as if he was mulling something over but refused to say it out loud. Finally, Kakashi cleared his throat and explained what the plan for the day was.

"Naruto, I want you to keep popping out shadow clones and attack Sasuke with them all at the same time,"

It was a simple exercise, and the idea of beating up on his rival made Naruto giddy; he clashed his hands together and, in just a few basic gestures, had five clones flanking each side of him. Sasuke stood up slowly and placed one hand on his hips lazily, observing the clones with a bored look on his face.

'_I'll wipe that smirk off your face soon enough you duck-haired jerk!'_

Naruto and his doppelgangers lashed out a violent series of attacks, each one giving his all, even as Sasuke took them down with a single hit. As one by one, each of the clones disappeared in a poof of heavy smoke, Naruto created more to replace them. The sparring went back and forth for awhile as Kakashi watched passively from the sidelines, his attention seemingly more focused on the book then what his students were actually doing.

"So I bet you're bummed Sakura isn't here to train too, huh?"

One of the Narutos asked with a devilish smirk. Sasuke made an annoyed grunt for a reply and sent a swift kick to his stomach, correctly assuming he was hitting one of the clones. He spun on his heel and kept his kick going, knocking out three more clones in the same fashion.

"Come on, admit it! You totally miss her!"

Another one laughed at the hardened glare on the Uchiha's face. Sasuke panted slightly and took that clone down as well, his concentration wavering. Sakura had been excused from the training today since she had a shift at the hospital. She worked quite a lot, too much in his opinion, pulling double and even sometimes triple shifts if there was a shortage of staff. She said she loved the work and didn't mind, but it bothered Sasuke to see those dark bags under her sleepless eyes day after day.

"If she were here, she'd still be fighting better than you are,"

Sasuke snapped, sensing an array of fists from behind him. He lunged to the left and dodged most of them, but felt one collide with his back. He stumbled forward only slightly before regaining his balance and whipping out multiple shuriken between his fingers.

"I think we should make a little bet, Sasuke,"

The many Naruto clones grinned, forming a tight circle around their target, their voices swelling into one big chorus that rang in Sasuke's head like an old migraine.

"If we beat you at this stupid training exercise, you have to give Sakura a gift for Valentine's Day next week!"

Sasuke stiffened at the proposal, his fingers hesitating for a heartbeat. It was the most ridiculous idea he had ever heard of; leave it to Naruto to spat something that stupid from his mouth. But what did that make Sasuke, then, as he was the moron who was still considering it in his head. He flicked his wrist and sent his projectiles flying in all directions, grabbing the jacket of the nearest clone and yanking the body up into the air. He curled back his free fist and stated in a dry tone

"I'd sooner spend time with Yamanaka Ino then do something as idiotic as-"

While his attention had been adverted to the clone in Sasuke's fist, the real Naruto had taken advantage of the opening from below; he kneeled down and sent a sharp uppercut up through Sasuke's front and shouted happily as his knuckles met jaw. Sasuke staggered back and growled, sending a dark look as he rubbed at the spot where he had been hit.

"Well, I think that's enough training for today you two,"

Kakashi called merrily from the background, snapping his book shut after marking the page he was on.

"So that means I won, right?"

Naruto grinned hopefully.

"I never agreed to-"

"It looks like it,"

Kakashi cut Sasuke off with a deciding nod of his head. Naruto fist pumped and danced in a circle, laughing and shouting in his excitement. Sasuke stuffed his tightly balled fists into his pocket and glared at the two.

"I'm not getting that annoying girl a present for Valentine's Day,"

His tone was harsh and firm; these two idiots needed to realize that he wasn't messing around here. Why on earth would he want to get Sakura a gift for any occasion, save her birthday and Christmas, when he was expected to throw something together? That day was one of the most sickening wastes of time he could ever imagine and could spout out a hundred other ways he'd rather spend the day.

"Don't be such a sore loser Sasuke! You have until Valentine's Day next week to give Sakura something special or else I'm gonna do it for you!"

Naruto declared, sticking out his tongue. That vein in Sasuke's forehead was beginning to pulse again; he fought to keep his composure when every fiber of his being was screaming for Naruto's big fat mouth to shut up. But what else could he do? If he let Naruto do anything, he'd only end up screwing everything up. He'd make Sasuke look like a fool, or a coward, or something even worse- one of those love sick, whipped, pathetic excuses for men who didn't have the stones to stand up to their women. No, if he was being forced into doing this, it would be better for him to do it himself.

"I'm out of here,"

Sasuke turned away to leave, his shoulders hunched over in his humiliation of being defeated. Naruto and Kakashi watched his departing back until they couldn't see him any longer and burst into fits of laughter.

"Did you see the look on his face?! He's totally going to do it! Man is Sakura in for a surprise!"

Naruto rested his hands behind his head and gazed up at the brilliant cerulean sky, his imagination running wild with possibilities.

"You have some sort of prank in mind, don't you?"

Kakashi hesitated to ask; he wasn't sure he really wanted to know what the little blonde devil had in store for his teammates. Naruto laughed once more and took off running, his face set rigid in a mischievous smirk. Oh, he had something in mind all right. Something that was really going to mess with Sasuke. He couldn't wait.

**A/N: I'm hoping that I'll have time over Christmas break to keep updating this story quickly. But this is my first attempt at a chapter fic in, like, forever and a half. So bear with me and my crazy work life…**


	2. Tired

**A/N: Sorry if things are starting off too slow, but in the past, my chaptered fanfictions had become too rushed and short from trying to cram all action and no detail into as few pages as possible. I'm trying to work on that now. Bear with me, things will pick up soon enough!**

**Paper Hearts**

**Chapter 2**

Sakura missed the snow. The sparkly powder that coated the ground in a blanket of beautiful flakes made the world outside the hospital windows look new and exciting. She loved the soft crunching of it under her boots and the sounds of children laughing as they rolled and frolicked through the white tundra. Christmas was done and over with for the year but that same magical feeling still lingered in the frosty air, only to be drowned out by the sun shining high up in the sky. She turned away from the window and sighed to herself, her emerald orbs sweeping over the mountain of paperwork at her desk.

'_At least if the weather is nice, I should be out enjoying it…'_

Sakura plopped down wearily in her seat and grabbed the nearest paper, her eyes scanning for any mistakes as she filled in a blank or two. Paperwork had to have been the most tedious, boring job in the world; no wonder it was last on the priority scale for the hospital staff. Since she was the newest worker there it had become her burden of responsibility. Propping her elbow on the desk and cupping her chin with her hand, Sakura pushed her pencil against page after page, her eyes drooping somewhat as the hours passed by her.

"Are you _still _here?"

One of the other nurses asked, pausing at the pinkette's desk with a shake of her head. Sakura smiled in response, although she must have looked as exhausted as she felt because her coworker clucked worriedly and placed a cup of steamy tea on the desk.

"You didn't have to go through all this trouble, but thank you very much,"

Sakura bowed her head in gratitude and sipped at her lemon flavored tea. The steam was invigorating; she felt more awake now than she had all day. The two ladies chatted idly as Sakura continued filling out her paperwork, finding the chore much more bearable when she had someone to talk to.

"Look what my fiancé got me for Valentine's Day,"

The woman held out a beautiful heart shaped necklace with a rose pendant hanging in the middle. It shimmered in the florescent light, radiating an air of superior beauty that could only come from a costly expense. It seemed her coworker could read her mind as she added in a hushed tone

"I don't know how he afforded something so wonderful, but I love it! He knows me so well!"

"It looks great on you! Here, let me help you,"

Sakura grasped the clasp in her adroit fingertips and slipped the necklace around the woman's neck, smiling in admiration. It was a nice gift indeed, although she couldn't say she would have asked for something so fancy.

"What about you, Sakura? A pretty girl like you surely has a date for Valentine's Day, hmm?"

The woman asked, her eyes still downcast, straining to see her gift wrapped delicately around her neck.

"No, not this year. That's fine by me, I'll be working all next week anyway,"

Sakura laughed it off as if she didn't mind being single for another year. She didn't, not really; sure, there were times she envied the happy girls she saw walking the streets in the arms of handsome guys, but for the most part she was content to be on her own.

"Oh sweetie, the hospital can survive without you for one day! Go out on a date and enjoy yourself; you're only young once, you know!"

With a wave of her hand the woman turned and left, leaving Sakura alone with her tea and papers. It was nearly time for her to clock out herself; she scribbled over the last few pages she wanted to get done and put all the finished paperwork in a stack off to the side. There was a noticeable dent in the stack; pleased with what she had accomplished, Sakura drained the rest of her tea in a few, scalding gulps, wincing from the burning liquid as it rushed down her throat. She debated on the need for her jacket, light as it was, and threw it over her arm rather than put it on. Her other coworkers waved and called out goodbyes as she passed, and she returned them all the best she could.

Her feet were beginning to drag from her shift, which had started well before the sun had risen, as if her shoes were made of lead. What she should have done was go find Kakashi, Naruto, and Sasuke, and join in on the training she had missed, but her strength was leaving her too quickly. What good would she be if she fell asleep on her feet? The villagers had seemed to want to take advantage of the beautiful weather; the streets were filled with shoppers, families, and ninja home from missions. More than once she brushed shoulders with a young couple holding hands and laughing as if they were the happiest set alive.

'_What's so great about being in a relationship anyway? All the fighting and crying and acting like your life ends whenever you aren't with that person every second of every day. You'd have to be stupid to want to live like that,'_

Sakura thought with such conviction it was like she was trying to convince herself. She paused in mid-step for just a moment, her eyes half closing as she sneezed violently into the crook of her arm. Someone must have been talking about her.

'_I hope it isn't that pig Ino! She's always bad mouthing me!'_

She was ready to continue her journey home when she heard a familiar shrilling voice in her ear; she was too tired to deal with him now, but it would have been rude to keep walking, no matter how strong the temptation was. Sakura rocked back on her feet and glanced over her shoulder with a less-than-enthusiastic expression plastered on her face.

"What do you want, Naruto?"

She fought back a yawn as her blonde teammate ran to her side, falling into pace beside her so that they could walk together. Naruto was panting from having run all the way from the training grounds but he didn't want to show it; he stood up tall and grinned his goofy manner.

"We missed you at practice today; don't worry though, you didn't miss much. Kakashi-sensei was late again; man am I getting tired of him not showing up on time!"

Naruto was ready to go on another rant but Sakura was hardly in the mood for it.

"Let me tell you something about being tired, Naruto. Tired is working late every night this week then getting up for early shifts every morning, and sometimes squeezing in a third shift in the middle if the help is needed. Tired is when you sleep more on your feet than in your own bed. Tired is me listening to you complain!"

Sakura snapped. Naruto stopped walking and stared at her, looking both hurt and worried. Instantly she regretted being so harsh, but she was cranky. All she needed was a few hours sleep and she'd be fine.

"I'm sorry… look, I just want to get home and go to bed, okay?"

She added in the most pleasant voice she could muster, yawning openly this time as she left Naruto standing there. He wanted to chase after her, and make sure she was really okay; he got the feeling something else was bothering her, more than just working overtime at the hospital. He would need to find out if he was going to put his plan into action.


	3. Protection

**A/N: Really impressing myself with how fast these updates are coming. Watch it though, I probably just jinxed myself. I really appreciate everyone who's been following this story already; please feel free to drop off a review while you're here, let me know how it's going. And tell your other SasuSaku friends to read as well!**

**Paper Hearts**

**Chapter 3**

Team Seven had been anything but thrilled to get a C ranked mission tossed into their laps. It was well below their capabilities and threatened to be a colossal bore, borderline torture if you will. All three of them had protested incessantly for the two days prior to their departure but Kakashi had remained firm, insisting it never hurt to get back to the basics of working together.

"Becoming too cocky in your abilities is dangerous; you might think you're hot stuff now but it's easy to screw up on the easiest tasks. Besides, if it's going to be that easy, then I expect you three to finish in a third of the time,"

And that had been the end of the discussion. The task at hand was simple; there was a woman who needed escorted from Konoha to the nearby Village of the Flowers. It would only take a couple of hours to walk at a leisure pace; in Naruto's opinion it was such a short walk there was really no need to escort her at all, but the woman, ironically named Hana, was terrified of the thought.

"Why do we have to escort this crazy broad again?"

The demon wielder whispered in misery, earning a thump on the back of his head from Sakura.

"Shut it Naruto! She'll hear you! You know exactly why she wants protection getting home!"

The pinkette growled, lowering her fist and sending a glance up ahead. Sasuke was leading the group through the forest path, his hands resting comfortably in his pockets, keeping several yards away from the rest of them. Kakashi and Hana were chatting casually in the middle in attempts at assuaging her fears, leaving Naruto and Sakura to bring up the rear.

"But Sakura, she's sooo creepy!"

Naruto groaned under his breath, flinching as Sakura made a sudden movement; she was only brushing a strand of hair from her face but he had taken it as an attack.

"Yeah, and you're annoying! She isn't creepy!"

Sakura lied smoothly, her orbs flickering in the client's direction for a moment. Hana was an odd woman, to say the least. Her short, spiky black locks were cut and styled much like those of a little boy, giving her round cheeks a childish appearance. She wore a flowing black cape that was many sizes too big for her small frame; not only did she keep stumbling over the hem but she had, hidden under the inner folds, a small box that was the reason for the mission in the first place.

Hana claimed to possess the ability to speak to ghosts using a special jutsu; it was a top secret technique passed down from father to son through the previous eight generations of her clan, but as she was an only child, she had finally been entrusted to the technique. Her cousin on her father's side of the family had finally come of age and it was time for him to learn it as well, but first he needed to obtain the scroll. There were branch members of the family who were, by tradition, forbidden to learn the jutsu, and were willing to take drastic measures to get their hands on Hana and her box.

It was easy to see why everyone felt so uneasy around the female; she kept jumping and muttering to herself, or more accurately to the spirits she claimed to see. She fidgeted and constantly glanced around with wide, haunted black eyes. Sakura wouldn't admit it out loud but she thought creepy was the perfect word to describe the woman. It would have been unprofessional to say otherwise though since Hana's clan was paying the mission fee and, in general, a hateful and judgmental assumption.

Up ahead, Sasuke was doing his best to ignore the herd of morons behind him, finding their conversations as uninteresting as the actual mission, if not more. He just wanted to get this mission over with and the client home successfully; after that he could focus his energy on the painful chore of figuring out how to get out of the bet with Naruto. He had no intention of getting Sakura a Valentine's Day gift, that much was certain. The woods around them were uncommonly still; not a bird could be heard chirping through the empty sky, nor was there the cracking of twigs beneath pawed animal feet.

"Have you noticed them as well, Sasuke?"

Kakashi asked as if he were commenting on the weather, his tone light and untroubled. Sasuke stopped walking, effectively halting the group as he strained his ears and listened, his expression blank yet rigid in concentration. Slowly, he jerked his head, his eyes daring to the side just in time to see an array of kunai flying towards his torso. Hana screamed in a high, shrill octave that sent shivers down the ninjas' spines. In a flash Sasuke had jumped backwards and avoided each one, huffing only slightly. From behind a set of bushes burst five muscular men, their masked faces protecting their identities, although from Hana's reaction it was easy to guess who they were.

"Hand us the secret technique willingly or else we'll take it by force!"

One of them demanded as they circled around the _shinobi_ group, their weapons drawn and ready.

"No way we're gonna let that happen, believe it!"

Naruto dashed forward, his top bent over slightly to gain speed as he ran and aimed a fist at the nearest opponent. Sasuke followed suit, his composure still calm despite them being outnumbered.

"Sakura, protect Hana!"

Kakashi ordered as he raised a kunai to block an oncoming attack.

"Right! Stay close to me, okay?"

Sakura took a fighting stance in front of Hana, who was cowering behind her and whispering curses. One of the men turned to face her, his kunai raised in a hostile manner. Kakashi was busy fighting two on one; their movements were so quick it was almost hard to watch. Sasuke and Naruto had one man each to deal with. The sound of metals clashing drowned out Hana's whimpers as the battles around them heated up; it looked like she was on her own this time.

"Bring it on- I'm not afraid of you!"

Sakura declared as she raised her fists, her eyes narrowed.

**A/N: Sorry to cut it off here, but if I keep going with what I have planned, this chapter will drag on forever. Be patient dear readers!**


	4. Thank You

**A/N: No need to wait in suspense any longer, dear readers. I'm trying to update as quick as I can! **

**Paper Hearts**

**Chapter 4**

Sakura had come a long way in her training; she was no longer the frightened little girl who couldn't protect herself when in danger. Her opponent seemed to be thinking the opposite; he smirked at her and lunged forward, thinking it would take one good hit to take the girl down. Sakura wasn't going down without a fight; she countered each punch and even sent him flying backwards, away from Hana. One of the men attacking Kakashi saw their chance and rolled off to the side, past Kakashi as he collided his kunai against that of his remaining opponent. The other man ran straight for Hana, screaming about the scroll.

"Oh no you don't!"

Sakura turned to protect the client, raising a kunai high above her head. In the excitement of the moment, she had forgotten to make sure her first opponent was immobile. He leapt to his feet and appeared directly behind her; his hands clamped down on her wrists, pinning one arm to her side, her other one locked under his unrelenting grasp. He chuckled at Sakura's attempts to free herself; despite her struggling she couldn't pull her arms free.

"You think you're so tough, girlie? Well you aren't! You're way too weak to defeat us!"

His laugher took on a darker tone as his companion, the one who was charging at Sakura, neared.

"She's all yours, Raiko,"

He pressed his thumb against the hilt of Sakura's kunai and forced the tip to point downwards until it touched her wrist. She hid her wince as the tip of the blade broke the skin and sent a thin stream of red dripping down her arm.

"Sakura!"

Naruto shouted, unable to get away from his opponent. When he heard it, Sasuke's head turned just in time to see Sakura being overpowered by two of their attackers. Hana backed up and clutched her box to her chest, her body shaking violently.

"You'd better keep your eyes on me instead of your girlfriend, kid!"

The man facing Sasuke sneered and ran to continue attacking him. The remaining Uchiha heir grunted and raised his interlocked fingers, performing a series of gestures before unleashing a roaring ball of flickering flames.

"Fire technique: fireball no jutsu!"

His opponent was no match. The body went up in flames, his screams lingering in the air as his throat swelled shut with smoke, efficiently ending his life. Sasuke didn't have time to dwell on the matter; it was, after all, the way of the ninja, and he had more pressing matters at hand. He knew Sakura was stronger than before. Her natural ability to heal people was renowned throughout Konoha, and there was a confidence to her attacks that had, for the longest time, been seriously lacking.

But it was her eyes that gave her away in each and every battle they had ever fought together. They would tremble with the silent fear of approaching death, as if she was expecting her opponent to win. He knew that look well; it had been the same one that had shimmered in his own, teary eyes when he had been forced to watch his parents drop like flies. Sasuke's movement was quicker than a blink of the eye as he ran after the charging enemy, his hand shooting out to grab the man by the back of his shirt. He yanked the man backwards and punched him square in the nose, feeling the cartilage crack from the force.

"Raiko!"

Sakura was pushed to the side, her kunai taken from her, as the man who had held her shouted and took aim.

"Sasuke, behind you!"

While her stomach twisted with worry for her teammate, Sakura didn't have time to waste. She jumped backwards until she was near Hana once more and watched with wide, terrified eyes as the kunai went flying towards Sasuke's back. He spun around just in time to see it coming but there just wasn't enough time to let it slip past. It hit his shoulder and lodged itself there, bleeding upon impact.

"We will take the secret technique and restore our nobility! The branch family has had control for far too long; it's our time to shine! We'll show the whole world-"

He was so consumed with the passion behind his rant that he hadn't seen Kakashi take down his attacker and reappear behind him. There was no hesitation for the _jounin_; his fist to the gut of the opponent was all it took to send him to his knees, then face down in the mud. Naruto managed to finish off his attacker at the same moment, looking winded by otherwise unharmed.

"That was so scary! Now do you see why I needed your protection?!"

Hana sniffled as she tightened her grip on the box that contained her family's prized jutsu. Sakura ignored her; there was something more important she needed to attend to first. Sasuke had fallen to his knees from the pain of the kunai in his shoulder. She rushed to his side without speaking a word, the panic that had filled her face deflating into a more mature, serious look of total concentration as she sank to her knees. Her fingers went to work without her mind having commanded so, one hand wrapping around the hilt of the kunai while her other one gripped his shoulder.

"This is going to hurt,"

She warned quietly, pausing for a single heartbeat before yanking the blade out of his flesh. Sasuke gritted his teeth in an attempt to swallow the groan that rose in response, but the look on his face betrayed his tough guy act. Her hands clamped down over the wound as they began to glow with soft green light, her healing powers at work. When she was sure it had closed, she reached into her medic pouch and pulled out crisp bandages.

"I need to wrap it to prevent any infections. Take your shirt off,"

Sakura had surprised even herself with how professional the command had sounded from her tongue; her cheeks weren't even blushing strawberry from the thought of seeing him shirtless, the way they would have before. Naruto snickered, earning a glare from the Uchiha as he made a displeased face, though he didn't argue. Using his good arm, he pulled the blue fabric of his top up over his head, being mindful of his injury all the while. Sakura wrapped his shoulder with careful, even circulations, until she was certain he would be all right.

"There. You should be fine now,"

Sakura shifted her weight backwards and wiped a bead of sweat from her forehead with her wrist. Sasuke stared at her, his expression unreadable. She opened her mouth to say something but stopped as her comrade reached out and grabbed her wrist, holding it up for examination. It was the one that had been cut by their enemy. While it was just a shallow cut, and hadn't even bled that much, it seemed to intrigue him. The intensity of his gaze on her wrist was uncomfortably strong; now Sakura's cheeks turned rosy from the attention.

"Oh, this? Don't worry about it. It doesn't hurt and it'll fade away by this time tomorrow,"

Sakura laughed nervously and stood up, pulling her hand free quickly.

"Hn,"

Sasuke also stood up, his hands in their pockets like usual. Kakashi chuckled and turned to console Hana who seemed to be having a mini panic episode while Naruto complained that he was starving after his heroic battle. The Konoha nin and their client left the carnage behind them and continued on their mission, much in the same formation as before. Except, as Sasuke passed by his teammates on his way to the lead, he paused long enough to mutter

"Thank you,"

Naruto rolled his eyes and made a snarky comment, but Sakura wasn't listening. She was staring at Sasuke in surprise, her mouth parted as if she wanted to say something back, but didn't. What a strange twist their mission had taken; hopefully, the drama was over and they could get on with things quickly. Naruto slipped in line with Sasuke, waiting until they were several paces ahead before he grinned slyly at his black haired friend.

"You know this means you have to follow through with the bet, right?"

Naruto managed to keep his voice low despite his giddy excitement; Sasuke sighed in an annoyed sort of way, his eyes askance to the trees around them. He couldn't bring himself to look at Naruto's face when he said it.

"Yeah… I know,"

**A/N: See, now wasn't that worth the wait? x3**


	5. Death by Fangirl Affections

**A/N: Getting a little bummed guys, not going to lie. I've been working hard to keep updates coming super quick, but haven't much in the review department… thank you i heart the sun for your support! It means quite a lot~**

**Paper Hearts**

**Chapter 5**

The mission had, from that point on, been completed without any more attempts on Hana's life. It wasn't long before the Konoha ninja were back at their own village, the money they had earned tucked safely in their wallets. The weather had stayed clear and crisp during their short time away, melting away the slushy remains of muddy snow. It certainly didn't look like Valentine's Day, but the date was fast approaching; each and every time he passed by a calendar, Sasuke's onyx eyes were drawn to stare at the little fourteen that marked the deadline of his life. He wasn't a melodramatic person by any means, but even he couldn't deny the heavy feeling in his gut when he thought about what he had gotten himself into. Inside his big, empty house, Sasuke was at a loss of how to deal with what was happening. If he broke down and actually got Sakura a gift, it would imply feelings he didn't have and probably raise her own back to their former, unbearably annoying fangirl state.

Still, it seemed backing out of the bet was no longer an option. As he leaned back into the couch he accidentally put pressure on his shoulder; Sakura had done an excellent job on healing the wound but the skin around it was still tender and sore. Wincing slightly, he recalled her readiness to help him, amazed at the change that overtook her when she changed from warrior to healer. Any hesitation or fear had been wiped from those determined emerald orbs, the sight of his oozing blood hardly fazing her at all.

It was a strength all her own, different than the power needed to fight directly in battle, but was a necessary skill all the same, and, dare he say it… he admired her abilities? Sasuke's brow furrowed when he remembered the sight of her blood trickling down the pale skin of her arm. He hadn't planned to reach out and grab her wrist but his body had reacted that way, as if it couldn't take in the contrast of crimson on peach. He had been vaguely aware of the tight, lurching feeling in his stomach when Sakura had laughed the wound off as nothing and pulled herself free. He was bothered by the idea of her injury, as slight as it was, but why?

There was a thump outside his door that brought his mind back to reality; Sasuke glanced over, not quite interested enough to actually get up. He hadn't sensed anyone approaching and doubted it was of any real importance. The thumping continued, growing louder, until finally, with an aggravated sigh, he stood up.

"I'm coming,"

He answered curtly, making it to the door in a few strides. Sasuke threw open the door, expecting Naruto, or perhaps yet another female admirer out for his affection. The latter wasn't far off; he had a moment to take in the mountain of boxes, ribbon, cards, and chocolate that towered above his head before the whole pile came tumbling down on top of him, burying him in a sea of red, pink, and purple. Every year, the week leading up to Valentine's Day was one filled with hell and torment for the brooding teenager. Every local village girl would sneak to his house and leave him romantic gifts, undeterred even when they watched him throw them all away or, as he did last year when his temper had ran too hot, light the whole lot on fire. He hated how shallow these girls were, thinking they could capture his heart with a lacey, heart shaped card plastered in perfume and chocolate. As if any of them could even fathom what he had suffered through in life. The hardest trial any of them had ever gone through was deciding what color dress to wear on a date. Those slobbering girls knew nothing of true despair, loneliness, or pain; as if he had any room in his frozen heart for the likes of them!

'_Damn them all to hell!'_

Sasuke growled to himself as he struggled to rise from the pile of cards that blanketed him; the more he struggled the further down he seemed to sink, his hands clawing upwards to try and free himself. After several minutes of tossing, kicking, and turning his fist broke the surface and unclenched, opening and closing down on empty air. As all hope of escape seemed lost, Sasuke's hand brushed something else, another hand if he had to guess by the tough, fleshy feel; he grasped it tightly and, in an instant, was yanked to the surface. Coughing loudly, Sasuke lay back with his arms, covered to the elbows with the superficial tributes to the worst holiday ever created, supporting his toned frame. He blinked from the sudden light and stared up at the one who had saved him, his face turning into a sour scowl at the sight of his previous guess.

"Whoa, what's with all these presents Sasuke?! You coulda died just now!"

Naruto scratched his head and glanced at the mounds of scattered gifts. He offered out his hand again, which, surprisingly, the Uchiha accepted; as he rose to his feet, Sasuke kicked at the nearest pile of cards and nearly toppled over once more. Naruto snickered and rested his hands behind his head, asking with as much of an even, serious tone as he could muster,

"Did the big bad fangirls come to rape you in your sleep again like last time?"

Sasuke shot him the coldest glare the lines of his face allowed, choosing to ignore that particular jab. Naruto sensed the dark vibes emitting from his teammate and smiled to himself, enjoying the annoyance splashed across Sasuke's usually blank face. Things were moving along nicely for his little plan, one so devious he hadn't told a single soul, not Kakashi or Konohamaru or Iruka.

"Tell ya what, Sasuke; since I'm feeling like such a nice guy, I'll help you clean up this mess. Who knows, maybe you can pick out a nice one for Sakura!"

Sasuke's eyes narrowed in a look of mistrust, to which Naruto replied hastily

"When have I ever let you down?"

In an instant Naruto was surrounded by a handful of shadow clones, each one having the same, goofy grin plastered on their faces. Sasuke mumbled something in audible, the word 'idiot' being the only one loud enough for to hear, but did nothing to stop the blondes from helping him round up all the junk. They filled ten garbage bags to the point of overflow before, finally, Sasuke was able to see his floor once more. He spared Naruto a cursory glance, long enough to see the orange clad ninja holding up the most disgusting card he had ever seen. He didn't need to look past the lace and the too many heart stickers lining the borders to imagine what had been spewed on the inside; surely the most heart wrenching confession of _love_ ever laid to paper.

"Get rid of that NOW!"

Sasuke growled, reaching out to rip the sight to shreds, but Naruto stuffed the card inside his jacket and out of reach of his teammate's inching hand. He laughed and took several steps back, holding up his hands defensively.

"No, I can use this one for myself. I don't think Sakura wants something so flashy anyway; she's not as girly as she used to be. Maybe just a simple paper heart with a nice couple words written inside, you know?"

Naruto shrugged, not really listening to the words coming from his mouth. Oh, yes, he could make good use of that particular card. If things went to plan, Sasuke wouldn't need to worry about that silly little bet after all. Grinning as if nothing was wrong, Naruto waved his hand in farewell and left the Uchiha manor, slamming the door shut behind him. Sasuke stared at the place Naruto had been standing, his head cocking to the side. Something told him he should be concerned with the odd behavior he had just witnessed but, as he felt the familiar tug of his eyes towards the looming calendar over on the wall, Sasuke pushed the thoughts aside.

Naruto's idea seemed too easy, a copout of sorts; if he was going to disgrace himself he wanted to at least do it with all his capability. Running a hand through his ebony locks, he recalled once again the faint line of Sakura's ruby blood splashed against her pallid skin. Shuddering from an unnamed cold, he returned to his position on the couch, resting his forehead against his curled fingers; maybe he should put some thought into the gift, even if he didn't want to do it in the first place.

**A/N: What is Naruto's plan, you may be thinking. Well you'll just have to wait to find out, because I'm not saying a peep, ha ha! Suspense sure is fun… for me. **


	6. Bewilderment

**A/N: I keep finding so many interesting fanfictions but have no time to actually sit and enjoy them. I hate life sometimes. But on another note, the weather at my house is getting horrid, so if it is for anyone else as well please be careful out there! **

**Paper Hearts**

**Chapter 6**

The rain began to pour from the heavens as if God himself was sobbing. It came out of nowhere, the tossing, ominous black clouds, the sudden clash of furious thunder shaking the bloody ground below. An older _shinobi_ group had gathered at the local tavern for a few drinks that had turned into hours of hard drinking, their rosy cheeks obviously intoxicated even now as many of them lay as corpses across the muddy ground. A drunken fight had gone terribly wrong; the ten or so ninja, along with the other villagers who had been sitting innocently at the bar, had all gotten involved in one massive fight, resulting in several brutal deaths and plenty of other injuries. There was still smoke rising from the ceiling where a fire had started but, thankfully, had been extinguished from the weather.

Sakura's back ached from kneeling down over so many bodies, her hands firm in their healing gestures despite how wobbly her legs felt when she stood up. The rain poured down on her but she hardly felt it, could no longer hear the screaming or the sobbing or the pleas for help. Her being was completely numb to everything but the motion of rising and falling upon the nearest body, and the next, healing the injuries on one only to turn to the next and shudder, her fingers ever so gentle as she closed the eyelids of yet another lost soul. A crackle of lightning lit up the howling sky above, illuminating the pools of red that were being washed away by the falling rain. When the final body had been dealt with, Sakura stayed down on her knees and stared off into nothing, oblivious to the icy water that clung to her revealed skin or the amount of black, sticky mud that coated her legs, chest, and arms. All of those deaths and injuries had been so violent, so senseless…

**~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~**

Finally her shift at the hospital was over. The events of the morning still haunted her thoughts despite her efforts at pushing them far back into her skull, locking the whole thing up in the shadowy part of her mind. What she yearned for was a distraction of any kind, something that would have pulled her thoughts away from that dark crevice of nightmarish hell. As she ventured outside her emerald orbs were dismayed to feel the sharp blast of wind across her exposed skin, the scent of rain still lingering in the air. The weather hadn't cleared up much from before. She paused with an evident frown, debating on if she should try and wait the storm out or just make a mad dash for home.

"You'll catch your death just standing there like that,"

The husky, familiar tone called from the street. Sakura's eyes met with the blackest onyx and her hand flew up in an unexpected greeting. Sasuke was standing there, holding an umbrella above his head, regarding her with his usual demeanor.

"Come on, I'll walk you home,"

Sakura stared in surprise; he had never before offered to walk her home before, rain or shine or otherwise. Her mouth opened to politely decline but with another burst of howling wind at her back she was at his side in an instant. She stood back from him, hesitating to get close enough to actually share the umbrella. Sasuke watched her in slight amusement before adjusting the handle in his hand, moving the umbrella so that it covered them both.

"Rough day at work?"

He inquired, casting his eyes over the dried mud splattered across her clothes and the obvious dirt under her fingernails. Sakura blushed and glanced down at herself in self-conscious humiliation; she had tried scrubbing herself clean in the bathroom but it had been a futile effort. Mumbling an excuse or something of the like, she kept her eyes trained straight ahead, her posture stiff and uncomfortable. Long ago, her soul would have died for the chance to stand so close to Sasuke on a casual walk home. It would be a lie to say her feelings for him had completely died but Sakura wasn't one of his drooling fangirls anymore. Now, if anything, the walk was undeniably painful; the air between them was awkward, as was the way they would meet each other's eyes and then quickly look away, pretending they hadn't.

"So…"

Sakura sighed breathlessly; with every step they took brought her closer to her home. The pair rounded the corner; she had begun to continue walking straight, in the direction of home, but she froze when she felt the softest caress against her wrist. Sasuke had reached out to stop her but seemed to change his mind halfway through; her head turned his way as his hand fell against his side, his face as unreadable as always.

"If you don't need to be home right away, I thought we could grab some coffee first. This rain's too cold,"

He shrugged his shoulders as if he didn't really care what happened, but his eyes were watching her for a reaction. Had she heard him correctly? No, surely not; the wind must have muffled her ears and tricked her with such an impossibility. Sasuke, asking her to go anywhere with him? On a date or otherwise? Ha, that would be the day! But, he was still staring at her expectantly, waiting for her response.

"O-Oh, um, yeah, sure! I could go for some coffee,"

Sakura stuttered, inching back under the umbrella. They were standing closer now than they had before; while they walked, their arms continued brushing against each other just hard enough to make her blush again and again. There was a café a block or two away, famous for its late hours and steamy espressos. She was all too familiar with the little shop from her frequent after hours stops, often on her way to or from a night shift at the hospital. The merry bell above the door chimed as Sasuke held the door open for her, shaking the loose beads of water off the umbrella before closing it and following after her. The air was warm and inviting, scented with delicious mochas and caramels and freshly brewed coffee. Displays of sweets lined the counter, tantalizing customers with their colorful icings and cheap prices, but when the two Konoha nin reached the register, the female cashier smiled warmly at the pinkette and asked

"Oh, hello Miss Haruno! It's unusual but delightful to see you here this early; well, early compared to when you usually visit. Shall I get you your usual?"

Her eyes flickered to Sasuke, lighting up at the handsome sight; she twisted a strand of her golden hair and smiled sweetly, waiting for Sakura's affirmative nod before continuing

"And what can I get you? We have a new latte called Lover's Delight; it tastes like those little heart shaped sugar candies given out at Valentine's Day. You know, the ones with the sayings on them, like 'Be mine' or 'Together 4 ever', and they come in a rainbow of colors? I recommend it,"

She continued to smile, hoping to charm a smile off the chiseled jaw of the Uchiha, but he observed her with obvious disinterest. He glanced once more at Sakura, keeping his tone the same, bored octave as he answered,

"I'll have her usual as well,"

The smile on the cashier's face faltered slightly as she plugged the drinks into the register; before Sakura could even reach for her wallet Sasuke had the bills sliding across the counter. As for the change he dropped into the tip jar located off to the side before stepping out of line to make room for the next customer.

"You didn't have to pay for them both, Sasuke!"

Sakura protested as she moved as well, knowing she must have looked like an idiot with her flaming cheeks. He smirked ever so slightly at her, sliding his hands into his pockets.

"I believe normal girls would say 'thank you',"

He teased her as their dark chocolate mochas were placed on the counter for them to take. He reached for them both and slipped one into Sakura's hand, his fingers touching hers for but a moment before he pulled away and took a sip of his own drink.

"I, well, yeah, b-but…er… thanks,"

Sakura cleared her throat and followed suit, finding it far easier to think after the deliciously burning liquid filled her mouth.

"Hn,"

Sasuke led them both to a table and sat down. They spoke of casual things; recent missions, the strange winter weather, but for once not of Naruto and his abundant flaws. When she had attempted to make a joke on his behalf Sasuke had cut her off and changed the subject, almost too abruptly; if there was only one thing in the world to make Sasuke speak to her, normally it was Naruto. But she shrugged it off as nothing, her curiosity filling her as Sasuke leaned forward, his chin resting against one of his calloused hands.

"So, Sakura. I have to ask you for… advice, on something,"

He winced as if the very thought of it was painful to admit. Sakura stared back at him as if he had grown two heads; breathlessly she nodded, encouraging him to continue.

"A friend of mine wanted to know what sort of gift a girl wants for Valentine's Day. Is a card enough, or does the occasion require purchasing chocolate and flowers and the like?"

Sakura nearly choked on the sip of coffee in her mouth; she forced the hot drink down her throat and, eyes watering from the heat, managed to gasp,

"Well I guess it depends, you know, on who your friend is getting a gift for. If it's a lover or close friend, a more expensive gift might be expected. But a heartfelt card can do wonders too-"

"That's what I needed to know. Thank you again, Sakura,"

Sasuke stood up suddenly, already grabbing his umbrella, prepared to leave. He was up and gone before Sakura could rise to join him; all that remained of their date (if she were permitted to call it that) was his empty foam coffee cup abandoned on his side of the table. Feeling a flurry of emotions that mixed together in her fluttery stomach, Sakura also stood and threw the garbage away, her cheeks still bright red each time she remembered what had just happened. Outside, the rain had settled to a light drizzle, giving her a break from the cold as she hurried on her way home. What a strange, strange day it had been…

**~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~**

Sasuke had stopped running when he reached the old apartment, using his key to unlock the door. In a poof of smoke he disappeared, leaving the blonde haired Naruto standing in his wake. The ramen eating ninja grinned triumphantly when he eyed the object on the table.

"Sakura didn't even suspect it was me using the Transformation jutsu! Now I know just what to do; better watch out duck hair, 'cause I got something in store for you!"

He grabbed it and tucked it inside his jacket once more before hightailing it out of his apartment and back onto the streets of Konoha.

**A/N: Yeah. That's right. All that super sweet fluff that just happened technically didn't happen. It was all a part of Naruto's little plan. Hee hee, I hope I didn't disappoint too many people with that sneaky little trick… but I guess it was a little OOC for Sasuke to just randomly do what he did. Wouldn't readers be more upset if I had butchered the characters that way, even at the expense of some cute, albeit long winded, fluff?**


	7. Wilted Lies

**A/N: I really hate my job sometimes. I swear, selling my soul to that greasy burger joint was one of the worst things I could have done, even if I do sometimes make decent money from it. Oh well, I guess it could be worse. I'm not really sure how, other than not having a job (which doesn't sound half bad at this point xD).**

**Paper Hearts**

**Chapter 7**

"You're annoying, you know that?"

Sasuke murmured as he reluctantly closed the door behind him. Naruto had come to the abandoned Uchiha manor for a second time that day, his voice screeching about Sakura and her Valentine's Day gift. He was fed up with all this nonsense and wished desperately that the holiday was already behind them. How was he supposed to know what sort of gifts to give a girl in general, yet alone his teammate on an exclusively romantic holiday? Just thinking about walking up to the medic nin was enough to make him uncomfortable.

"Trust me on this one, Sasuke! You gotta get Sakura some flowers too,"

Naruto insisted, leading the way down the street with Sasuke just a few steps behind him. The rain had finally stopped falling but the sky overhead was still murky and black, threatening a continuance at any time.

"Don't you remember Sakura told us about the other guy she's getting flowers from?"

The fox demon stared ahead and smirked, hearing the slight pause in Sasuke's footsteps. He was, of course, lying, his throat swelling with the chuckles he had to force down less Sasuke realize as much.

"Hn?"

Sasuke's brow furrowed as he hunched his shoulders slightly. He tended to zone out whenever Sakura or Naruto were talking for long periods of time, finding the chatter uninteresting. She must have mentioned it when he wasn't listening. What 'other guy' was giving her flowers for Valentine's Day?! Was it that pathetically smitten Rock Lee, or a coworker? Was he handsome or charming or witty or- wait, why did he care anyway?

"Ha ha you heard me! Yeah, she was talking about it the other day. If you wanna impress her you better make sure to get her some good ones! Then tomorrow you can give them to her when we all meet up for training; she'll be so surprised she won't know what to do!"

Naruto nodded to himself, proud of the thought that had gone into his little scheme.

"Valentine's Day isn't for another three days… and I don't care if Sakura gets flowers from a hundred guys,"

Sasuke tensed as Yamanaka _Hana_ came into sight; he hated going anywhere near that place for fear that a particular blonde would be at the register watching with her big hawk eyes. Naruto was well aware of his teammate's reluctance to venture inside; wasn't that why he had chosen this flower shop over the other ones in Konoha? He opened the door to the shop and smirked, gesturing for Sasuke to enter first.

"Welcome to Yamanaka- Oh! Sasuke, it's you!"

Ino practically fell off her stool as she jumped over the counter and landed in front of the two boys, one of her hands resting seductively on her hip while the other one twirled a strand of her long golden locks. She looked ecstatic at the sight of seeing the exclusive Uchiha male in her family's shop.

"What are you buying flowers for?"

She asked in a flirty voice, batting her eyelashes shyly at him. Sasuke turned to Naruto slightly, tasting a film of bile on his tongue. Naruto answered instead, his voice booming with excitement as he declared loudly

"We're here to get Sasuke some flowers for someone on Valentine's Day!"

Ino's annoyance at Naruto for interrupting was erased by the silence that followed his announcement. Her eyes flickered to Sasuke in disbelief; surely this wasn't so. Had… had Sasuke finally succumbed to his teenage desires and decided that he wanted a relationship after all? If so, who was the lucky girl that was going to get slaughtered by every other fangirl in Konoha? Her heart threatening to beat right out of her chest, Ino began spewing recommendations a million miles an hour, suggesting this flower or that for whatever reasons she could think of; Sasuke closed his eyes and fought back a loud sigh, a migraine already forming.

Ino reached out and looped her arm with Sasuke's, still speaking so quickly he couldn't get a word of protest in edgewise, and began leading him around the shop like a dog on a leash. While the two were distracted with Sasuke's options of flora, Naruto crept over towards the counter, eyeing the black marker Ino had been using to mark prices on some flower pots. He reached into his pocket, pulled out the mysterious object that had been on his table earlier, and got to work until he heard Ino's loud mouth coming close.

"And _obviously_ we have a great selection of roses. See how deep and vibrant the red coloring is? It's because my Dad uses this special mulch that promotes prominent minerals needed-"

'_If I have to listen to another minute of this, I think I might kill myself,'_

Sasuke had tried multiple times to pull his arm free but Ino clung even tighter, her mouth moving so fast her words blurred together in a big, meshed ball of nervous screeches. He was glaring cold daggers at her but she hardly noticed as she pushed flower after flower under his nose, insisting he smell the palatable aromas that actually made him want to gag. He turned away from the girl as much as he could and glanced around for Naruto, hoping he could grab that idiot's attention and get out of there. His attention was caught by a little bundle of soft, faded pink set against the bright, bold reds and whites around it.

"…From as far as the borders of- Sasuke, are you even listening to me?! Eh? Oh, those are just the last of our carnations. Usually we wouldn't have any until summer, but with this crazy warm weather we've been having I guess Dad managed to grow a bundle. But like I was saying-"

"I'll take them,"

With his free hand Sasuke reached into the folds of jade colored leaves and picked out the ones that had the fullest bloom, the hue of the flowers reminding him instantly of Sakura's bubblegum tresses. Ino blinked in surprise but shrugged, her girly smile reappearing as she giggled and nodded her approval. She led him to the counter, where Naruto was whistling too casually. Sasuke narrowed his eyes in suspicion as Ino finally released her death grip on his arm and took the money for the flowers.

"So, who did you say you were buying those flowers for again?"

She leaned against the counter and smiled sweetly at him.

"I didn't. Let's go, Naruto,"

Sasuke said curtly, ending the conversation abruptly as he gathered his flowers and turned to leave. Naruto pushed off the counter to follow, waving his hand over his shoulder in farewell to the blonde, his restrained laughter finally breaking free as the door slammed shut behind them. Ino sighed dramatically and placed a hand over her heart which was still beating rapidly beneath her touch. That was one of the longest conversations she'd ever had with Sasuke; she had even been allowed to hold onto his arm!

"Kyaaaa, I love him so much!"

Ino squealed as she sat down on her stool, reaching for the marker she had been using. As she pulled the price tags closer to her, her hand brushed over a corner of purple paper.

"Huh? What's this?"

She pushed aside the tags to reveal the most beautiful valentine she had ever seen in her life. The card was covered in red and pink heart stickers and lace; it smelled faintly of an all too familiar scent, one that stopped her breath in her chest. Something had been written in the card but, to her dismay, had then been crossed out with black. Sprawled underneath in big, clumsy handwriting in the same black marker was something else entirely for her to read.

"To the Lovely Miss Ino: I'm sorry to give this to ya early, but I just couldn't wait any longer. I know I act all high and mighty and pretend not to care about anything in the world, but deep down in my heart… I love you. Meet me at Team 7's training spot tomorrow morning at 8 o'clock if you wanna see me in person. I'll be the dark haired guy in blue. With secrete love, your secret admirer. P.S, I'm not Naruto Uzumaki. I hate that loser because he's so much cooler than me. Okay, see you tomorrow. I hope,"

Ino reread the valentine to herself several times, her hands trembling when she realized what she was holding was a confession of love from her object of affection. She didn't know what to say, or do; no reaction would have been grand enough for how she was feeling on the inside. Instead, she dropped her valentine on the counter and fainted, falling off the stool with a loud clatter as her limp form hit the ground.


	8. Roses Are Red

**A/N: I love the reviews I've been getting concerning Naruto and his devious little plan. It's fun to keep readers in suspense~**

**Paper Hearts**

**Chapter 8**

Sakura had planned for a quiet night on the couch, a warm cup of tea in her hands, the time spent catching up on her stories. She had been looking forward to having the night to herself, getting a good rest, and then waking up to whatever awaited her tomorrow. As she snuggled under the fuzzy blanket she always kept draped over her couch, her mug in hand, she beginning to feel the long awaited sigh of total relaxation lacing her tongue; the pounding on her apartment door yanked her from her state of content like glass shattering across the floor.

"I'm COMING,"

Sakura shouted angrily, huffing as she kicked the blanket off her body. The air that hit her felt cold and uncomfortable; she slammed her mug onto the coffee table and nearly cursed as the hot liquid splashed over the rim and landed on the back of her hand, burning the small area of flesh it touched. Enraged now at the downhill slip of her perfect evening, the pinkette stomped her way to the door and threw it open, her face set to a hard glare.

"YES, what- O-Oh, Miss Shizune!"

Sakura's tone changed as soon as she laid eyes on the terrified form of her superior, Ton Ton the pig squealing in her arms.

"G-Good evening, Sakura… glad to see you too…"

Shizune chuckled nervously, all too aware of how hot Sakura's temper could burn. She adjusted Tsunade's pig in her arms and pulled a folded piece of paper from her pocket, offering it out to Sakura with an apologetic smile. Curious, Sakura accepted the paper and held it up to examination.

"Lady Tsunade's really sorry about having to ask you for another favor, but the nurse who was assigned to do this task quit last night and we all forgot about it until today. She wants to get every patient in the hospital a rose for Valentine's Day, to cheer them all up a little, and since it's so last minute, the Yamanaka clan are our only hope. Do you mind taking this order to their flower shop before they close tonight?"

It was a lot to ask for, considering how many hours Sakura already put in at the hospital, but with those big, pleading eyes of Ton Ton and Shizune combined, how could she rufuse? Sakura allowed a soft sigh to escape from her pressed lips but she nodded, her smile both weary and genuine. Shizune thanked the girl and bowed politely before leaving, Ton Ton's squeals ringing out as it struggled to slip out of the woman's arms. Sakura took another glance at the order and felt her eyes boggle at the number of roses Tsunade was asking for. As much as she hated to admit it, Ino's family was renowned for their incredible flowers, but could even they handle so many roses on such short notice?

'_Guess we'll find out,'_

Sakura went back inside to shut off the TV and the lights; she debated on changing but decided against it, as her casual clothes would suffice. With her purse thrown over her shoulder and the order in hand she was ready to embark on what was sure to be a pain-in-the-butt mission. Her feet had long since memorized the exact track from her apartment to the flower shop from the many childhood afternoons spent playing in the garden, or at Ino's house nearby. Sakura almost wanted to smile at the memories but having taken one step into the shop, she was instantly reminded why she and the blonde were no longer friends.

"I can't believe it, he loves me, he really really loves me! I- Ooooh, look, if it isn't Miss Billboard Brow!"

Ino had been singing and twirling behind the counter, stopping long enough to smirk at the sight of her former best friend walking into the shop. Sakura mustered a slight smile, nodded politely as she walked up to the counter.

"Hello to you too, Ino,"

Sakura grimaced and held up the piece of paper. Ino ignored it and continued smirking, her eyes gleaming with mischief.

"…why are you looking at me like that?"

Sakura asked with a suspicious narrowing of her emerald orbs. Ino's taunting smile grew larger as she shrugged casually.

"So what are you doing here anyway?"

Sakura didn't answer at first, still unsure of what Ino's cocky face foreshadowed. She wandered around the rows of freshly potted flowers and pretended to glance at various plants, checking prices and suggested environments. Really she was just trying to ignore the way Ino was clicking her tongue, following Sakura's movements with her sky colored eyes. She chuckled when Sakura stopped to examine the classic array of red roses, the symbol of love as old as time itself.

"Thinking of buying some roses for Sasuke huh? That figures,"

Ino shook her head as if she knew better.

"If you must know, Lady Tsunade wants to place an order of roses for the hospital. It's pretty big, and since there's two days to go, we'll understand if you can't handle it,"

Sakura held out the order, her tone dripping acid. Ino ripped the paper out of her hand and eyed it, her orbs widening at the number written down.

"Tell Lady Tsunade not to worry; my clan can handle anything! Take this to her as a down payment and assure her that we'll have the rest delivered before the sun rises on the fourteenth,"

Ino thrusted a bouquet of roses into Sakura's arms and waved her fingers.

"Bye bye now big brow, don't let the door hit that forehead of yours on your way out!"

Sticking her tongue out in mockery, Ino headed back to the counter where her valentine lay; she was waiting to rub it into Sakura's nose for when the time was right. Somehow, she would know.

"You're such a pig, you know that?!"

Sakura growled as she fumbled with the flowers, trying not to crush them as they nearly fell from her embrace. She would have stayed and argued but she would need to get those roses delivered right away so that she could finally get home and sleep the night away. The sun had begun to dip behind the horizon, sending the last rays of light across the fading sky; a faint evening breeze tossed her locks across her face but her arms were too full to brush the hair back. Soon the hospital was in sight, the florescent lights shimmering against the dusky sky. Sakura made a face as she came to a stop in front of the door; how was she going to open it with her arms laden with flowers? Luckily she didn't have to worry for long.

"Oh, thank you!"

Sakura sighed gratefully when the door opened wide, stepping inside quickly. She peered over her bundle of ruby roses to see the face of the kind stranger who had taken the time to hold the door open for her, but froze in surprise when she realized she recognized the 'stranger' all too well.

"S-Sasuke? I thought you went home?"

She blinked, shocked to see him so soon after getting coffee. Sasuke stared at her stoically, though she thought she saw traces of surprise hidden in his onyx eyes.

"I came to see you,"

Sasuke started, but, realizing how that sounded, quickly added,

"Kakashi-sensei is apparently having another last minute training session in the morning. Naruto just told me; he said he swung by your house but you were gone, so I figured you'd be here,"

He didn't comment on the flowers she was carrying.

'_Those must be from the guy Naruto mentioned…'_

Sasuke shrugged as if he couldn't have cared less and moved to leave.

"Oh, er… okay. I'll just see you in the morning, I guess?"

Sakura called after him, shocked that he had gone out of his way to tell her.

'_Carnations are just as fine as roses. Better, even; I don't need Sakura thinking I'm in love with her just because I'm giving her flowers. Once she knows Naruto put me up to it she'll beat the hell out of him and that'll be the end of it. Let this mystery man be the one to love her. I don't care, it's all so stupid anyway!'_

Sasuke jammed his hands into his pockets as he walked, his pace quicker than usual, as if he was trying too hard to convince himself that he really believed in what he was saying.

**A/N: Just wanting to wish everyone a belated Happy New Year, and to apologize for not having updated since 2012… ha ha.**


	9. Waiting

**A/N: Inspiration is flowing in with the newly discovered band Plastic Tree; if you readers care for Japanese rock at all, I highly recommend this band; their song **_Yuki Hotaru_** has been on repeat more times than I can count, and it becomes more and more fantastic with each replay. Truly awesome! Asian Kung-Fu Generation has a new album out as well, but I'm having trouble with my music player and can't listen to it just yet. I need my Gotou fix or I don't know what I'll do!**

**Disclaimer: Guess I should add that I don't own the music mentioned above.**

**Paper Hearts**

**Chapter 9**

The dreary weather from the day had seemed to clear with the approaching dusk, but no sooner had the last wisps of sunlight faded than the lingering clouds regrouped in angry black bundles. Rain poured onto the earth below, thundering off rooftops with enough velocity to rouse children from their beds in dazes. For a particular Uchiha, however, sleep had never been much of a consistency. He lay on top the covers tucked neatly over his mattress, barely crinkling a wrinkle in the material as he stared silently out the window to his left, the stars that usually accompanied the night sky blurred out by sheets of rain. Tomorrow was the day Naruto demanded he present his Valentine's Day gift to Sakura. Other than the carnations, he hadn't managed to think of a single thing he could give her. It seemed appropriate enough given his opinion on all things mushy gushy and the fact that his participation in the day at all had been entirely due to Naruto's coercion.

'_Why, then, can't I get any sleep?'_

Sasuke adjusted his position slightly, wrapping one of his arms behind his head as a makeshift pillow while draping the other over his bare stomach. He drummed the surface of his abdomen wearily, yearning for sleep in the methodic tapping of his fingertips, but found his eyes still staring at the raindrops slipping down the window's glass. He should have been asleep hours ago, after dinner and his shower. He had taken only a few extra moments, examining his jaw line for any loose hairs before snarling at his reflection; as if he needed to impress anyone, especially his medical teammate!

He had suspected for quite awhile now that her feelings for him had disappeared, or at the very least diminished to a level she could hide inside that naïve heart of hers. He couldn't remember the last time she had gawked at him or called out his name with a tone that oozed affection. That suited him just fine; all that energy she wasted on her feelings should have been dedicated to her training instead. Perhaps that was part of the reason she had become so strong under Tsunade's instruction; it was a burden to feel such tenderness for another individual. Love was the fastest way to get a person killed, both literally and figuratively, and he wanted no part in either.

'_That guy, he must work at the hospital too,'_

Sasuke grunted to himself as he remembered the wide eyed expression on Sakura's face when she saw him standing there with the door open. He had refused to comment on the bundle of roses she had been carrying, but of course he had noticed; her arms had been buckling under the weight of carrying so many. Whoever had given them to her must have cared enough to spend a fortune on flowers but couldn't have been bothered to help her carry them. What did Sakura see in a guy like that? Not that it mattered, but Sasuke knew for a fact that neither him nor Naruto nor any of Sakura's other male companions would ever do that to her. She deserved better treatment than that, especially by the one who claimed to have feelings for her. If he ever got to meet this mystery man, Sasuke thought to himself as his eyes slipped shut in exhaustion, he would have to give a refresher course in manners.

**~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~**

The next morning had come far too early for some of Konoha's finest ninja. Sakura groaned as she crawled out of bed, having accidentally crushed her alarm clock when reaching over to jab the snooze button. She dragged her feet into the bathroom and yawned, examining her face through her puffy, sleepy eyes as she ran a brush through her bed hair. The locks threatened to remain wild, sticking up at all ends; she managed to tease the worst of the strands and, with a few more strokes of the brush, get her bubblegum locks to look decent. She wasn't sure why Kakashi had called the sudden training session but hoped it was for something important. Otherwise she was going to have to take her lack of sleep out on someone, and it had been too long since she'd last beaten up the back of Naruto's head. Chuckling at herself Sakura tied her forehead protector in her typical fashion and headed out the door, taking her slow, sweet time.

**~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~**

Naruto's excitement was too hyped for the stillness of the morning; he had awoken extra early and had since found himself unable to sit still long enough to do much of anything except slurp down a few bites of ramen. His plan was going to unfold without a hitch; all he had to do was sit back and enjoy the show until it was his time to slip in and play the hero. He paced around his apartment incessantly, patting his back pocket as if to reassure himself of its contents, until finally it was time to meet up with the rest of his squad. Apathetic to the puddles of mud that lined the way, Naruto took off running down the street, flecks of mud splashing against his orange jumpsuit.

By the time he reached the meeting spot just outside of the village gate he was out of breath and panting, his brow coated in both sweat and anticipation. Little did his teammates know that there would be no training today, and that Kakashi hadn't called for the meeting at all; it had been all the Uzumaki's doing! He leaned against a tree and snickered to himself, already awaiting the reactions of his teammates when they would realize what was happening. Of course by then, it would be too late, and-

"Oh, hello Naruto. What a coincidence to see you here so early; I was just passing by,"

Naruto shouted and stumbled forward, nearly falling face down in a gooey pile of mud, before turning around and glaring at his white haired teacher.

"Kakashi-Sensei?! What are you doing here?"

He gulped before giving a cursory glance in all directions, praying nobody else had seen. Kakashi chuckled and stepped out from behind the tree Naruto had been leaning against, his visible eye staring at Naruto with apparent amusement.

"What, you think this is funny? You aren't even supposed to be here Sensei!"

Naruto whined; this wasn't part of his plan, not by a long shot!

"Oh, aren't I? See, I ran into Sasuke last evening on his way back from the hospital. He told me something interesting. Can you guess as to what he might have said?"

Kakashi asked in his light, carefree tone that Naruto always assumed meant trouble. The blonde shook his head and grumbled something inaudible, still glaring at the man in front of him. Kakashi continued in the same tone,

"He just wanted to tell me that he got the message about showing up here for training, and that you and Sakura both knew already. Isn't that funny, seeing as I don't recall scheduling any training for today?"

Kakashi watched as Naruto froze, confirming the suspicions he already had. He laughed and threw up his hands, already taking a step back.

"Hey now, I don't know what it is you're planning on doing, but I don't want to know. I'm going to hide and watch this disaster from the shadows, where it's safe. Just, don't get into too much trouble, okay you little brat?"

"Who are you calling little?!"

Naruto growled but, in an instant, Kakashi had disappeared.

'_That damn Sensei, always having to butt in! He can't show up on time for any of our _real _training sessions, but he manages to come _early_ to one that doesn't even exist! Ugh he's so annoying!'_

The fox wielder made a face before hearing the sound of footsteps; hopefully this time, it would bring with it someone he actually wanted to see!

**A/N: Sorry to stop it here, but I have to get to work, and I really wanted this chapter posted beforehand. I'll be a little busy this weekend and I'm not sure how soon I'll be able to update. So, bear the suspense for just a little longer, okay readers? Thanks!**


	10. Pain

**A/N: I love sitting with my sister's best friends and making fun of Sasuke. I swear, he's such a little idiot sometimes. Maybe this is the wrong fanfiction to vent about that particular subject, though… ha ha, sorry readers. Ignore this tired little author, okay?**

**Paper Hearts**

**Chapter 10**

This time, Naruto's hopes weren't in vain. Sasuke casually stepped around a particularly deep mud puddle, his bouquet of carnations cradled in the crook of his arm. His free hand was resting comfortably in his pocket and the expression, or lack thereof, on his face was typical. Naruto grinned and offered up a hand in greeting, his eyes twinkling in the excitement of what was to come.

"Yo, Sasuke! You made it, and you brought the flowers! Way to be,"

Naruto nodded in approval as Sasuke moved to stand beside him. The Uchiha shrugged in reply to avoid having to answer verbally; he wasn't feeling nervous, per se, but there was a slight quaking in his gut. He wanted to stand there in silence until Sakura made her debut. The night of uneasy sleep had left him feeling unrested and irritable; he still had no idea how he was going to face Sakura or what he would say to her when she arrived.

"Look, she's coming!"

Naruto announced, pointing his finger over Sasuke's shoulder.

"Hn?"

Sasuke glanced in the said direction in an instant but saw nothing. Naruto burst into laughter and jabbed Sasuke in the arm, exclaiming gleefully,

"Made you look! Ha ha what a loser!"

"You're such an idiot!"

Sasuke hissed, glaring down at the ground at his feet. There had been a hard thump in his chest when he had thought of the pink headed ninja approaching but the moment had passed as quickly as it had come; he could wait in contented apathy for as long as it took for her to arrive. She wasn't one to be late though, and soon enough, Naruto once again announced,

"This time for real! Look, look!"

Sasuke took a deep breath and spun on his heel, turning slowly, as if he feared the nerve wracking disappointment of finding out Naruto had lied again.

"Hey you guys! I'm here!"

Sakura cupped her hands to her lips and shouted, waving at her two favorite boys from afar. She cocked her head as she approached them, finding the scene somewhat odd. Naruto was standing back clutching his ribs; was he shaking from laughing so hard? She couldn't quite tell from the distant she was at, but it was strange all the same. Sasuke looked downright uncomfortable; awkward had never been a word to describe the graceful, powerful Uchiha, but he certainly looked it as he stood with a bundle of flowers in his arms. Why would he be holding flowers of all things?

Sasuke swallowed the lump that had suddenly formed in his throat, angered by the layer of sweat that seemed to coat his palms; he had no reason to feel so nervous about handing Sakura a bouquet. He was a _shinobi_ for crying out loud! He was going to face this challenge just like any other mission. Squaring his shoulders to solidify his determination, Sasuke held his breath tight in his chest, waiting for just a pause so that Sakura could come close enough. She was nearly upon them, her confusion evident as she stared curiously at her two teammates, her pale skin glowing against the murky sky above.

"Kyaaa, Sasuke, I KNEW it!"

Sasuke's face paled as a pair of twig arms wrapped around his body from behind and clamped down tight, cutting off the breath he had been lodging in his throat. Sakura stopped walking to stare with her wide, emerald orbs.

"Oh, my, JASHIN, are those flowers for ME?! You're so thoughtful Sasuke!"

Ino squealed and ripped the flowers out of his arms, bringing the carnations to her nose. She smiled and nuzzled her nose into the soft, aromatic petals, breathing in the fresh floral scent before sending a smirk in Sakura's direction. She held up an all too familiar purple card, one that Sasuke had thought Naruto had thrown away…

"These carnations are the best; I should have known when you were in the shop yesterday that you were buying them for me! I got your valentine, Sasuke. I'm here, like you asked me to be! And I love you too, I have for years!"

Sasuke had yet to move from the shock that overtook his normally reactive body. His ears had tuned out Ino's ramblings, his mind an empty blank. His eyes were the only part of him that seemed to still work; he could do nothing but stand there and watch the confusion on Sakura's delicate face melt away into realization, then harden into a cold, hurt stare. He could have sworn he saw them fill to the brim with tears before she took off running back the way she had come, unable to watch the new couple any longer. Naruto ran off after her in an instant, making it a point to ram his shoulder against Sasuke's as he passed; the two locked eyes long enough for Sasuke to realize what had happened. As Naruto disappeared into the trees, and Ino continued blabbering, Sasuke felt like someone had socked him in the stomach. He had created an all new definition for the word foolish; Naruto had been stringing him, Sakura, and Ino along this entire time for some sick enjoyment.

**~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~**

'_I-I should have known… the coffee… the weird questions... the _friend _he mentioned…it was all for…!'_

Her trembling lips had parted to make room for the gasp that would not leave her throat. She had simply stood and stared as her long time rival swooped in and stole the man they had both coveted for so long. Sakura hadn't wanted to believe it. Not for a minute. Sasuke was immune to the charms and affections of every girl in the village; he had stayed firm in his resolve not to be distracted by the wiles of the heart. Sakura had never once suspected that Sasuke had weakened in this regard; if he had… if she had believed she stood a chance… no. Deep in her heart, Sakura knew that was the naïve wishing of her former, smitten self.

But why, then, did it bother her so greatly to see Sasuke and Ino together? Was it because of all the beautiful girls in Konoha, he had chosen the most obnoxious? Did their rivalry really run that deep in her veins that she couldn't bear to admit defeat? The questions went on and on, yet the more that appeared the fewer answers she seemed to have. Sakura stomped her feet as she ran, unable to vent the frustration that she felt.

'_It… it doesn't matter! I don't care! Let Ino have her precious Sasuke!'_

Sakura reached out until her hand reached for the rough bark of the nearest tree; stumbling only slightly she pressed against the trunk and used it for support, her knees wobbly. Her vision began to blur with the tears that had arisen; she blinked hard but found herself unable to prevent the swelling until, in an instant, the tears had slipped past her ducts and poured in thin streams down her cheeks.

"I… I don't… I DON'T CARE!"

With every sob that filled the air, Sakura curled her fingers into a tighter fist and slammed it against the tree that supported her. She could feel the wood splintering, threatening to burst under the pressure of her strength, but she had to find a way to release the intensity of her feelings. Nothing helped; not the crying, the beating of the tree, or the pain that flooded her now bloody hand. She raised it again but felt five firm fingers wrap around her wrist and pull down to her side, preventing her from continuing her onslaught.

"CHAAAA!"

All of the hurt she'd been feeling poured into her other hand in a rushing, gushing tsunami of raw anger; assuming it was Sasuke, but hoping it was Ino, Sakura spun around and nailed the newcomer right in the nose. The crunching of hyaline under her knuckles told her the cartilage had busted under the force; warm blood sprayed down onto her fist and up her arm. Sakura's chest rose and fell with violent bursts of breath, her fist raising again for a repeat of the attack until the sight of Naruto falling backwards registered in her brain. He hit the ground and laid there, fingers twitching, blood dripping out of his nose at an alarming rate.

"I…wanted to…make sure… _you _were okay, Sakura…"


	11. Broken Hearted

**A/N: I finally joined Spotify for all those who frequent Facebook. I listen to a lot of J-Rock, but the English bands I care for are Breaking Benjamin and older Linkin Park. Got any suggestions for a musically starved writer?**

**Disclaimer: Once again I don't own these bands/titles… these disclaimers are kind of dumb anyway.**

**Paper Hearts**

**Chapter 11**

Sakura's fist trembled in the air. She gazed down at the horrified look on Naruto's face as he pressed his nose into the sleeve of his jumpsuit, the fabric soaked in red. What was happening to her? She was losing her mind!

"N…Naruto…!"

She dropped to her knees and continued sobbing, her cheeks turning scarlet in her sudden humiliation. What was worse, her sitting there bawling like a baby or the fact that she had broken her teammate's nose? Angry and confused with what was happening Sakura reached over and grabbed Naruto by the front of his jacket; he flinched from her touch as she pulled him to a sitting position and waved her free hand over his nose. Her fingertips began to glow with a gentleness so unlike her previous behavior it was almost frightening. Naruto watched in an amazement that never failed him when he saw Sakura transform into a medical ninja. She was so strong, so certain of herself; he knew Sasuke admired this side of her as well, even if he would never admit it.

"You're incredible,"

Naruto murmured as the pain faded away. Sakura grunted and shook her head as she wiped at her tears with the back of her hand. All she really did was smear the salty liquid across her ruby cheeks but Naruto found himself captivated none-the-less. This had been the pleasant side effect to his plan all along, the real hero moment he had been hungering for.

"If it helps, I'm sorry you had to Ino and that duck ass getting together. But who needs them, right? They're both not good enough for you, Sakura! So, please… don't cry, not ever. Got it?"

Naruto reached out and placed a finger under Sakura's wet chin; he raised it only slightly, forcing her eyes to lock with his. Sakura stared back in surprise, her body tensing under the single touch of the tip of his calloused finger. It was strange and uncomfortable, yet, at the same time, his eyes had such a brilliant blue hue that reminded her of the summer sky. Since when did he become such a romantic?

"W-What… are you doing…?!"

Sakura blushed darker and jerked her head away, raising her fist as if she meant to sock him again. Naruto chuckled nervously and waved his hands defensively, insisting that she remain calm. He had something for her, something special. Reaching into his back pocket, Naruto pulled out a very crinkled card.

"Sorry… I guess I sat on it a time or two,"

He rubbed the back of his head before thrusting it into her hands, grinning his usual goofy smile as he waited.

'_Has this idiot lost his freaking mind?!'_

Sakura glanced down and bit her tongue to silence the moan that threatened to escape; it didn't take the Hokage to understand what she was holding in her palms. The loopy cursive sprawled in red across the front of the card was clearly store made; Naruto couldn't write that neat if his life depended on it. He had given her a valentine, and a sappy one at that. Lying in the middle of the card was a red rose, its petals pressed flat from the crease of the paper. It was withered and on the verge of decay; the browned edges curled in a lifeless way. He had probably purchased the flower days ago and kept it in the card the entire time.

"N-Naruto…I…"

Sakura choked on another sob that found its way into her throat; it burned when she tried to swallow. She had just witnessed the impossible stomping on her beating heart; why on earth did he have to choose now to get all sentimental and romantic? She closed her eyes and tried to breath but her tears threatened to renew. Already her orbs were shimmering with the tears she fought in vain to keep locked away.

"I-I'm sorry… but I… I can't do this right now…!"

Her hands shot out to slide the valentine back into Naruto's lap. Inwards she cringed at the flash of hurt that radiated from his cerulean eyes but there was no time to dwell. Sakura jumped to her feet and ran as fast as she could, ignoring the pleading voice shouting her name, asking for her to come back.

"Sakura!"

Naruto shouted one last time before giving up. His shoulders slumped and his head dropped to his chest; he had royally screwed things up with Sakura. He gripped his head with both hands and pulled at the roots, growling in frustration.

"Girls are so confusing!"

He whined before rising to his feet, absentmindedly brushing away the mud that clung to his rear. Spirits in low key, he dragged his feet in the direction of Konoha, wondering where Sakura had run off to. She was really upset over what had happened; he hadn't been expecting such a harsh reaction. After all, he had truly believed that Sakura had outgrown her childish crush, but apparently that was not so.

'_Sasuke's gonna kill me… Sakura hates me… maybe I didn't think this plan through…'_

Naruto's stomach let out a deep growl; he patted at his empty abdominal and quickened his pace, knowing that a bowl of piping hot ramen was always the perfect solution to his problems.

**~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~**

"Oh Sasuke, you've made me the happiest girl alive!"

Ino cooed as she looped her arm with Sasuke's. She tightened her grip when she felt him trying to tug himself free and flashed her brightest smile. The villagers who passed openly stared and whispered at the strange sight as Ino dragged a very reluctant Uchiha into Konoha. He had never found himself in this situation beforehand and was clueless how to resolve it without hurting the Yamanaka twit; it was against his moral code to lay a hand on a woman unless it was strictly in combat and he was fighting for his life. But he couldn't bear the sound of her high pitched voice screeching in his ear nor the way she led him like a helpless puppy.

"Let me go,"

Sasuke commanded, his tone much harsher than it needed to be. If she heard him, Ino didn't let on; she continued with what she was saying as she yanked on his arm. Sasuke planted his feet firmly into the ground, digging in his heels with all his might.

"What is so important that we have to stop in the middle of the street?"

Ino whipped around in annoyance, her free hand on her hip; Sasuke had been getting ready to try and pull his arm free at that exact moment; caught off guard, Ino came flying forward, her hands reaching for the solid chest of the eye candy in front of her. Sasuke cursed under his breath and held out his arms to catch her, unable to step aside and let her fall despite how badly he wanted to. They were too close, he realized a half a second too late, as Ino's face came crashing into his, their lips locking in an awkward, teeth-grazing first kiss. Ino closed her eyes and smiled against his lips, moving to snuggle closer, unaware that the kiss had been purely accidental. Sasuke grabbed her shoulders and pushed her away from him, his onyx eyes flashing with anger.

"W-What's wrong, Sasuke? You're acting weird!"

Ino blew a stream of wind from the corner of her mouth in attempt to remove a stray blonde hair that hung in her eye. Her cheeks were scarlet from what she imagined as the first of many steamy kisses. Sasuke glared at her and jammed his hands into his pockets; they were shaking with how angry he felt and, seeing as he had no options to safely vent his anger, Sasuke turned his back on Ino and walked away.

"So… I'll see you tomorrow, right, honey?"

Ino waved, hardly disappointed by the quick farewell. Her mind was running a million different miles, torn between going home and replaying the amazing kiss in her mind and bragging about it to every willing ear in the village. Having a natural flare for gossip and attention, she was of course going to do the latter; eagerly Ino dashed to every nook and cranny of Konoha, announcing her new relationship status with the exclusive Uchiha.

'_I'm going to find that ramen eating loser and shove my foot up his narrow ass!'_

Sasuke wasn't one to anger easily, and when he did, he nearly always reined the emotions in and hid them under an apathetic mask. He tried as he walked to pull himself together, but with Sakura's teary, broken face replaying in his mind, it was futile. His fists refused to stop shaking when he thought about how hurt the pinkette had to be feeling. She had run off without giving him time to explain, and worse of all Naruto had slipped away after her. He was probably trying to 'help', but knowing Naruto, he was bound to make everything worse. He would find them both and set things straight. He had to, for Sakura's sake.


	12. Denial

**Paper Hearts**

**Chapter 12**

If Sasuke knew one thing about the Uzumaki devil, it was the fool's incomprehensible love for ramen. He had seen Naruto scarf down enough bowls of steaming noodles to clog his arteries and then some. It was likely his blood had morphed into a pasta based substance which would, the Uchiha thought with a slight grunt as he ran down the streets of Konoha, explain how Naruto had become so painfully moronic. Ichiraku Ramen Shop was the intended destination; the owner was lenient with Naruto's constantly running tab, often taking pity on the orphan and granting him more bowls of delicious noodles than he could ever hope to pay back.

The air wafted with the aroma of Konoha's finest noodle shop as Sasuke's toned legs brought him closer and closer; soon the stand was in sight, the curtains flapping lightly in the wind. He came to a skidding stop in front of the shop, his hands already reaching to push the curtains aside; Sasuke peeked his head in and scanned the few seats quickly, his heart threatening to thump out of his chest to an angry, sporadic beat.

"Mister, this stuff's the best!"

Naruto's cheeks were round and puffy from all the ramen he had crammed into his big mouth. The shop owner stared, open mouthed, at the raging sight behind his most valued customer. The air was thick, heavy, with the aura emitting from an Uchiha whose stony eyes burned brighter than coal with the intensity of his hatred.

"H-HEY!"

Naruto nearly choked on his dinner as Sasuke grabbed him by the back of his collar and dragged him roughly out of his seat. He waved his arms and flailed but to no avail; when they were outside the shop Naruto managed to twist himself free, spinning around just in time to duck beneath Sasuke's flying fist.

"Why is everyone trying to beat me up today?!"

Naruto whined, his eyes glued to Sasuke's every movement.

"Because you have got to be both the worst teammate and biggest idiot ever born to this miserable planet! Do you have any idea what you've done? Did you see Sakura's reaction when Ino showed up?"

Sasuke demanded to know. It took all his concentration not to reach out and strangle Naruto's scrawny neck. All traces of humor gone, Naruto's brow furrowed into a melancholy pout of sorts, his shoulders collapsing as if he had given up on something inside his chest. He didn't answer right away, but when he did, it was in the form of a slight jerk of his hanging head.

"I didn't mean... Sakura wasn't… I thought…"

"Obviously you weren't thinking at all! Just like usual! Why did you do this to her? And to me; now Ino thinks I'm in love with her!"

That was a whole other problem Sasuke wasn't sure he could handle. At least, not yet; his priority now was to solve the mystery of why Naruto had done such hurtful things to his supposed friends, and then to find a way to fix the tears that had formed in Sakura's delicate eyes. Naruto's head snapped up, his eyes narrowing around the edges. They turned hard and cold, like blocks of carved ice; even Sasuke felt a shiver from their intensity crawling down his spine. He stared back evenly as if the look didn't bother him, but it was unnerving coming from the usually carefree, goofy boy.

"You wanna know why I planned this whole thing? Okay. I'll tell you why. I'm sick of you acting like you're the coolest guy alive! You think you're all that and you aren't! I thought of this plan last week when we were training; it started with the bet I made. I knew that if Kakashi-sensei heard me talking about something as interesting as you giving a girl a Valentine's Day gift he'd get curious and wanna help. So it worked out for me when he told you that you lost the bet and had to do it.

After that, I made sure to show up at your house when I noticed all the village girls carrying cards and candy and flowers around. Everyone knows that most of the girls shower your ungrateful ass with lots of 'em and you just throw them all out. It was lucky to find that one card; even I think it's bad! You thought I threw it out, but I didn't; I slipped it in my pocket before helping you clean all the rest of 'em up.

The next part of my plan was to make you look like a jerk so that Sakura would see you're no good for her. I used the Transformation Technique and impersonated you; I took Sakura out for coffee and asked her about valentines and stuff so she'd get confused. I mean, why on earth would _you_ need to know about romantic gunk, right? I found out the kind that most girls like and made you go to Ino's shop to pick out some flowers. That was when I snuck the valentine and gave it to Ino secretly; my plan was for Sakura to see you two were together and realize that she doesn't love you anymore. Then I could swoop in and be the hero; she'd love me for sure! But… it didn't work… 'cause she… still does. Love you, I mean. She always has and she always will…"

Naruto sighed darkly, adverting his eyes to the ground. His toes dug a tiny hole in the dirt.

"…So you created this complex, pain inducing plan simply because you hate me and want Sakura's affections?"

Sasuke stared in utter disbelief as Naruto shrugged his shoulders in an affirmative reply. Never before would he have considered his teammate capable of such cunning deceit. Naruto wasn't all that patient or pensive; Sasuke would have thought it impossible. Yet, as Naruto glared daggers into the ground at his feet, Sasuke was forced to admit that it was he who was the idiot in the end. Hadn't he fallen right into the traps? A mere pawn, used and tossed aside, for his King's attempted capture of the Queen?

"You… BASTARD! You made Sakura cry for THAT?!"

Sasuke roared, curling his fingers into such tight fists that his nails cut the flesh of his palm. His breathing turned ragged and shallow; it was difficult to grasp what was happening inside his head. Everything hurt and the only explanation he could think of was because of Sakura's broken heart. Why it should matter to him, he didn't know. What he did know was that he wanted to murder the monster that had hurt her, even if that meant beating the crap out of Naruto. Naruto took every insult Sasuke threw his way; after a few minutes, the blonde's shoulders began to quake slightly, then harder and harder until his entire being trembled. A throaty chuckle rose to fill the silence between them but it rang dismally in the air. Naruto peered up at Sasuke, keeping his head down, the look on his face one of pure misery.

"What are you laughing at?"

Sasuke growled, infuriated even more.

"…the way you're reacting… I always knew it. I didn't wanna believe it, but… there's no way I can deny it now. It's so obvious I'm surprised your new girlfriend hasn't noticed yet,"

Naruto straightened his back then, his hard stare from before returning with half the intensity it had had the first time. Now the blonde simply seemed tired and downtrodden, as if the words on his tongue brought with them the most depressing misery words allowed. He paused long enough for Sasuke's temper to begin to raise again, the angry look on the pale Uchiha's face border-lining murderous, before adding,

"You love Sakura too,"

Sasuke froze. Surely he hadn't heard that correctly. He, love Sakura? No no, that couldn't have been further from the truth! He considered her nothing more than his teammate. Carrying no fondness for the word _comrade_, he couldn't consider her one, and if he hated that particular term than it paled in comparison to his abhorrence for the concept of _love_.

"Don't even try to deny it, Sasuke. If you didn't love her then you would be madder at me for hooking you up with Ino. You've mostly yelled at me 'cause of Sakura's feelings getting squashed in the process,"

Naruto pointed out. He was right, but Sasuke only grunted in reply.

"You're wrong,"

He murmured, the familiar pounding in his skull announcing the arrival of another migraine. He needed to lie down and sleep, to forget about the throbbing in both his head and his chest. Growling at everything and nothing, Sasuke turned away and left, his legs carrying him to his home as quickly as they had to Ichiraku's.

**A/N: Okay readers, I'm curious to know: Do you hate Naruto for causing all this drama, or do you pity him because ultimately, his goal was to ruin Sasuke's life, not Sakura's? He just wanted a little loving too, although admittedly he screwed up majorly in the process.**


	13. Unwanted Visitors

**Paper Hearts**

**Chapter 13**

The memory was on repeat, playing in unbearable, consistent repetition across the back of Sakura's eyelids no matter how full they brimmed with salty tears. The sight of Sasuke resting the bouquet of flowers in his hand with that strange nervousness etched into his expression both amazed and unnerved her; of all people, males in particular, Sasuke had always seemed above the idle whims of the heart. He rarely spoke of matters concerning romance but only a fool could fail to notice his utter abhorrence for them.

Like the rest of the female population in Konoha, there had been years when she too, though much younger in those days, paid the Uchiha manner a visit offering gifts on special days. Valentine's Day was always the most popular; she had indeed left cards and chocolates gushing with words to describe her affections, not one to be deterred even though she knew Sasuke never once bothered to read the cards he received. As she grew older, she had stopped the yearly pilgrimage to his home, more for fear of becoming a borderline stalker than anything else.

Seeing Sasuke standing before her with beautiful flowers in hand had brought a gut wrenching sense of anticipated elation, as if butterflies drunk on energy drinks suddenly swarmed her stomach and knotted and twisted themselves into a hard lump. In the farthest corner of her heart, a faint, wobbly voice dared wonder aloud, is he here for me? Sakura hated the familiar fluttering of her heart, erratically thumping in the nervous joy that had once accompanied her every time she stood near the Uchiha boy. Reactions like that only reminded her of that overly infatuated, weak little girl she had once been. But frankly put, what teenage girl wouldn't swoon at the slight possibility that the hottest guy alive had bought flowers just for her? Then Ino had walked in, and…

Sakura blinked hard as she dragged her feet over the flatness of the pavement beneath her sandals. She had wrapped her arms around her middle and walked slightly hunched over. The people she passed made it a point to move out of her way, casting her glances mixed with both worry and discomfort. With her huddled posture she appeared sick which, in a way, she supposed she was, but forced herself to walk at a normal, deliberate pace. Her eyes felt puffy from sobbing in the forest but her tears had dried by now, though a new wave threatened to form if she dwelled on what had happened for more than brief, agonized seconds. The news would spread like wildfire within days; Ino was such a gossip there was no way she'd pass on the opportunity to make every female in Konoha hate her.

'_I'll never be able to do it… stand there and watch them together, smile and pretend it's okay… I guess I'm not as over Sasuke as I had thought…'_

Sakura gripped herself and allowed the slightest increase in stride, wanting so badly to be home where she was safe to release all her pent up hurt, but at the same time wishing she could shake it off like nothing and go on with life as normal. Sasuke was never really hers to begin with, so it wasn't as if she had lost him. Why did it feel that way, then?

Then there was the issue with Naruto. Even as her feet carried her far away from the blonde she could feel the tip of his finger pressing under her chin, using the gentlest amount of force to pull her attention in. He had focused those big blue eyes on her and, when she looked back, found two pools of tender concern offering their support. It had been sweet though certainly misplaced of him to chase after her and try to woo her with the usual cards and flowers. Sakura knew with all her heart that the bond between her and Naruto was strictly friendly. He may have wished differently but when she gazed at him it was with the kind of affection devoted to an older brother or something of the like.

That was why she hadn't been able to accept his gifts; even in her broken state, her heart had not been his for the taking. Yet there was no denying she had felt flattered by his attempts. Sasuke had never shown remote interest in her or girls in general until this week; now it was clear that he had never felt anything romantic towards her nor was it likely he ever would. She had to come to terms with that no matter how much it hurt inside to see him and Ino embracing.

Finally, the door to her apartment was the only thing separating her from solitude. Sakura slipped inside and quickly shut the door behind her, a loud sigh passing through her pursed lips. Now that she was alone, her tears had disappeared. Her breathing had evened out and her mind was done racing. She felt strangely okay all of a sudden, almost normal.

"Huh,"

Sakura muttered to no one in particular. She meandered into her living room humming a song she had learned in the academy as a little girl and eyed the overflowing stacks of thick ivory papers that had sprung up on the coffee table. She had begun bringing some of her paperwork from the hospital home because it had begun to pile up; her desk drawers were on the brink of collapsing from the weight of all the unfiled paperwork that needed done. She was becoming too much like her teacher, adopting the bad habits, it seemed. Chuckling at the thought, Sakura plopped down on the carpeted floor and scooted closer to the table. She focused all her attention on finishing page after page, her hand deftly dashing across the various blanks in record timing. Her concentration was so intent that the knocks upon her door went unheard, much less acknowledged; it wasn't until the methodic, calculated knocks turned into rapid poundings that her attention was jerked back to the present. She arched her aching back; she had spent nearly two full hours hunched over the coffee table finishing paperwork. Sakura stood up, annoyed now with the unrelenting rapping on her door, and reluctantly approached the wooden barrier.

"Hi-...!"

Sakura cracked the door open wide enough to stick her head outside, her jaw clenching hard enough to cut her greeting off completely when she saw who it was.

"Oh, hello to you too. Listen, we need to talk. Like, now,"

Ino Yamanaka smirked, her bangs swishing slightly with every movement her head made.

**A/N: Sorry, I know this chapter wasn't the most interesting. But I wanted to shift and focus on our favorite kunoichi for a little bit, then we'll get back to Sasuke and Naruto~**


	14. Fright and Flight

**Paper Hearts**

**Chapter 14**

"Well, are you just going to stand there all day or are you going to invite me inside?"

Ino demanded. Without waiting for an answer she jammed her foot between the partly cracked door and its frame, preventing Sakura from slamming the door shut in her face. The pinkette hadn't even been considering doing something that rude but the longer Ino's big mouth was open the more and more her dislike of the blonde intensified. Using her foot Ino thrust the door open and marched inside as if she owned the place; Sakura hissed under her breath and made it a point to slam the door shut behind her, scowling the entire time.

"What a nice place you got here. The color scheme isn't completely ugly,"

Ino slowly turned on her feet, examining the innards of Sakura's apartment with apparent interest. Sakura crossed her arms against her chest and hedged forward, keeping distance between them, but still wanting to stay close enough to see what Ino was up to.

"What do you want, you pig?"

Sakura glared, feeling her stomach clench tightly with dread. Whatever the reason was, it wasn't going to be good. Ino smiled her sweetest smile, the one she reserved for when she was forced to act more polite than she wanted to be. Sakura knew very well how fake that grin tended to be and grimaced, her trepidation thickening.

"Oh, yes. That. There _was_ something we needed to talk about… hmm… what was it now?"

Ino tapped her chin in mock thought for a moment, swishing her hips as she continued walking around the apartment. Her hands trailed over the surfaces of Sakura's table, chairs, walls, and countertops; she was curious by nature and had to have her nose in everyone else's business. Finally, Ino stopped surveying the furniture and cast her sky blue eyes in Sakura's direction, that little smile still plastered on her thin lips.

"Oh! I remember now,"

Ino paused, waiting for a reaction. Sakura gave her none, but merely stood in her defensive position, glaring in silence. When it became clear that this conversation was going nowhere, Ino shrugged her shoulders and threw her hands up in the air, chuckling lightly.

"Aren't you going to ask what it is? No? Geez, Sakura, calm your freaking forehead and lighten up; it's about those flowers Lady Hokage asked for,"

Ino paused for a second time but she was once again disappointed with Sakura's lack of a response. Clucking her tongue in annoyance, she closed some of the distance between them, looking uncomfortable with the stuffy silence that fell between them.

"Ugh, okay! I'm supposed to tell you that we're growing the roses as fast as we can, and we should have them ready for Valentine's Day. We can deliver them directly to the hospital for an extra fee or you can come pick them up yourself,"

Ino tossed her head lightly in attempt to get her bangs out of her face. Sakura jerked her head in a rough nod, gesturing with one hand towards the door.

"I'll come get them myself. If that's all you wanted, then you can leave,"

"You're not a very good hostess, kicking out your guests like that! You didn't learn anything in our _kunoichi_ classes back in the Academy,"

Ino began walking in the direction Sakura pointed, her smirk slowly slithering back on her face like a crafty snake. She stopped when she was standing beside her former best friend but kept her eyes trained forward on the door ahead.

"I know you and Sasuke are teammates, and even though it sucks you two will have to spend time together. But outside of training and missions, I want you to stay away from him. Got that?"

Sakura froze, wide eyed, her heart coming to a crashing, painful stop in her chest.

"W-What? You can't control him; he isn't your little dog. I don't spend time with Sasuke anyway, so it's not like I care, but if you really think he'll let you run his life for him then you obviously don't know a thing about him,"

Sakura cleared her throat as quietly as she could, forcing the words out with as much disinterest as she could feign. She had to be strong, especially now; there was no way Ino was getting the best of her. If that flower loving brat thought she could use her new romance against Sakura, she had another thing coming. Ino's grin disappeared in an instant.

"How dare you! You're just jealous because Sasuke loves me and not your bulging forehead! Get over yourself Sakura; it's not like you ever had a chance with him, even if you were placed on the same team. You might be tougher now but Sasuke will always remember you as the whiny little girl who couldn't even beat me in anything we ever did together; obviously he saw how much cooler I am and realized that you're just as big a loser as Naruto!"

The murderous glare on Sakura's face caused Ino to take a step back. Sakura's fists were hanging at her side but she was squeezing them so tightly her fingers had turned as white as bone. She moved closer to Ino, causing the latter to back away towards the door another few steps.

"Listen here, Miss Piggy. There are two things wrong with what you just said. Firstly, I'm not jealous because I got over my puppy love crush for Sasuke. He's just a teammate to me now, nothing more, and if you're the type of girl he's decided he's into, he's a whole hell of a lot stupider than I ever thought. And secondly,"

A dull thump interrupted Sakura's speech as Ino's back collided with the door. The two girls had locked eyes, one glowering with utter hatred while the other cowered against the wood. Without breaking eye contact Ino's hand ran up and down the length of the door in an attempt to find the knob before it was too late.

"Secondly, don't you DARE call Naruto an IDIOT when the only one I see here is you! You don't know Naruto any more than you know Sasuke so what gives YOU the right the judge him? You better get your ass out of my house right NOW or I'm going to KICK it out!"

Ino's fingers molded around the knob; with the flick of her wrist the door flew open, causing her to stumble backwards onto her rear. Sakura towered over her, cracking her knuckles in the most threatening manner possible. Ino shrieked and inched backwards, struggling to get to her feet. She was shaking with fright as she jumped to her feet and took off running, shouting an inaudible insult over her shoulder. Adrenaline coursed through Sakura's veins; she was so angry she felt like her blood was on fire, and the confrontation was just what she needed to release all those negative feelings out of her body.

Feeling refreshed in a way she hadn't thought possible, Sakura returned inside her apartment and went back to the paperwork on her table. Resuming the position she had taken up earlier, she poured her energy, fueled by her hot temper, into finishing all the papers that needed to be filed. The day was only half over and already Sakura had finished her work and managed to scare the hell out of Ino. Maybe she could survive seeing Sasuke and the Yamanaka pig together, if for no other reason than scaring Ino relentlessly.


	15. The Pensive Pupil

**A/N: I know there hasn't been a lot of fluff yet, and what I did throw in wasn't even the real Sasuke. I'll be working on that as soon as Sasuke's incredibly sucky apathetic personality allows me to! Also sorry about taking awhile to update, my real life is driving me nuts ._.**

**Paper Hearts**

**Chapter 15**

The face that stared back at him seemed unfamiliar, like that of a childhood friend he had long ago stopped speaking to. The wood under the back of his knees felt worn and smooth as if rubbed by years of him sitting in the same spot, the same position. Sasuke stared down at the perfect stillness of his sullen reflection in the water mere inches from his hanging feet. It was at this very dock he had learned to perform the fire techniques that had brought fame to the Uchiha clan. After the loss of his family, Sasuke had spent much of his free time meditating there or else simply basking in the quiet that hovered over the abandoned area. He had hoped that returning to the spot would clear his pounding head or, at the very least, grant him a few hours of relaxation before he was forced to face what was going on in his life. Naruto had bested him and used him like a pawn, Ino thought they had become an item, and then there was Sakura…

"You love Sakura too,"

Naruto's voice buzzed in his ears like a bee that wouldn't fly away no matter how hard he swatted at it. The statement had been so utterly false it had left him feeling speechless; having felt no more sense of control over what was happening to him, his only option had been to leave. Sasuke had felt Naruto's eyes boring into his back as he walked away but had stared straight ahead, refusing to glance behind. How could he have feelings for the pinkette when he himself couldn't grasp the concept of love? Love was a destructive force that brought no true sense of joy; it was cunning and cruel, always waiting for the apropos time to shatter the hearts of those who fell for the naïve trick. He would have none of that, those giggling, red faced couples who blabbered incessantly about how their lives would end without each other's presence.

"It's pathetic. If I have a heart at all, I renounce all affection; it only serves as a burden,"

His pale lips barely moved, the words tasting sour upon his tongue. He wished he could spit them out and let them dissolve in the clear blue water below but instead he resumed his inspection of himself. The expression on his reflection was as unreadable as Naruto's handwriting. His eyes, like two ovals carved of onyx, stared blankly back at him with feigned apathy. If he was to be looked upon by anyone, they would never suspect anything was out of place in his quiet, private life. The dark lines of his brow pinched towards the bridge of his nose in a mixture of surly displeasure as a shadow fell over his frame, its origin standing behind him as still as the lake.

"What do you want, Sensei?"

Sasuke asked curtly, remaining in his sitting position. He watched Kakashi's reflection with narrowed, suspicious eyes.

"Oh, let's just say I had been passing by on the journey of life when I saw that little episode back in the forest. That was quite a sight, you and the Yamanaka girl,"

Kakashi chuckled at the murderous glare that broke Sasuke's mask of apathy.

"Calm down, I was only making a joke,"

He added quickly as he kneeled down beside his student and fell back into a comfortable, Indian style seat. Resting his arm over his propped up knee, Kakashi sat in the stiff silence that floated between the two Sharingan users. In his hand he grasped his favorite Paradise novel and lost himself in the vivid descriptions of the story's main female protagonist, the deep throated chuckles coming from his mouth sounding anything but chaste.

Sasuke did his best to drown out the noise, but his concentration flickered as his thoughts drifted around the problems he would eventually have to face. Feeling his blood began to burn once more, the Uchiha heir whipped out his hand and grasped the book Kakashi held so lovingly in his fingertips. Feeling the crisp paper crinkle under his clenching digits, Sasuke pulled back and whirled the orange book as far as he could into the center of the water. The surface broke like shattered glass as the erotica hit the water and sunk far below into the watery depths like a stone.

"This is private Uchiha property; either tell me why you're really here or leave me alone!"

Sasuke demanded as his chest rose and fell heavily. He hadn't realized he'd been holding his breath until it gushed from his lungs in a frenzy pant; in an attempt to calm down from his sudden burst of anger he closed his weary eyes and tried to regulate the speed of his breathing, slowing it down the best he could. He needed to regain control of himself; if he no longer held power over the rest of his life then he would need to fortify his mask of apathy. He couldn't allow himself to lose that ability to feign indifference that had always come so naturally, even as a young child.

"…You…But… she…the…the ending…!"

Kakashi sat, dumbfounded, staring at the emptiness of his palm as if he couldn't fathom where his beloved adult novel had disappeared to. Ever so slightly his gloved fingers began to twitch before he slowly closed them into a tight fist. The sigh that poured from his frowning lips was that of fatigue, as if he was suddenly much older than his actual age made him out to be.

"So you really think feeling emotion is a burden, do you?"

Kakashi dropped his fist to his side as his good eye drifted out over the rippled surface of the lake; the rings had finally reached both his and Sasuke's reflections, stirring the perfect stillness. Sasuke adverted his eyes, unable to look at either his teacher or the mirrored image at his feet; when he tried to stare into the water below he saw nothing but a dark, obscure shadow that made his stomach crawl with dismay.

"I guess that's one way to look at it. Sakura would probably agree with you on that one right now. She sure seemed upset by your displays of affection; I wouldn't be surprised if right now she was wishing she hadn't felt a single thing. That with the flip of a switch she could shut off her emotions and become as apathetic as, well, you,"

Sasuke said nothing in reply although his stomach tightened into thick, knotted cords at the mention of his teammate's broken heart. He wasn't entirely sure why her unhappiness mattered as much as it did, and knowing he was the root of it only worsened the pit that had sprung up in his intestines. Naruto may have been the mastermind behind the plan but the guilt had him to blame for bringing those tears to Sakura's jaded eyes. If only he had…what? Pushed Ino away when she first came running at him, denounced her in front of the rest of his squad with an icy tone? No, that wouldn't have done either; he would have hurt that brat's feelings just as badly and would still be fighting against the same wave of guilt. He had been saved from having to deliver those horrid flowers to Sakura but, at the cost of his pride and what little chivalry he possessed, had been stuck in a whole other mess to fight with.

"It was all Naruto's planning-"

Sasuke began, part of him desperately yearning to push the blame on someone, anyone else, in a last ditch effort to ease his own personal suffering. Kakashi cut him off before he could finish, his voice hard with anger.

"No, Sasuke. You need to come to terms with what happened. You can say you don't believe in emotions, your _own heart,_ if that's what you want. But you can't use that as an excuse for what happened today. If you have no feelings for Ino, or Sakura, or any person, you owe them at least the dignity of the truth. Tell them that you don't want to pursue a romantic relationship and allow them the chance to move on. The longer you sit here sulking like a child the worse it'll get,"

The white haired man scolded, his words lashing out as if laced with fire; Sasuke flinched inwardly from the burn that raged inside his chest. Kakashi was right, of course; he couldn't pretend that Ino wasn't spreading the news that they were 'together', nor could he forget that she would be rubbing it in Sakura's face every chance she got. He wasn't much for petty gossip, but Sasuke had seen how cruel Ino's rumors could become, how devastating her words could affect her former best friend. She would gloat and push Sakura to the brink of snapping; his chest ached hotter at the thought.

"I don't feel anymore, Sensei. Inside this hollow chest of mine is nothing but air. I barely speak to these girls and yet they say they_ love_ me. How is that possible? I don't believe such a burden exists. Truly, I don't. I'm not sure I can spell it out in a way that Yamanaka twit can understand; she's so enveloped in her false sense of reality that she'll never embrace the truth,"

"And what about Sakura?"

Kakashi asked, his tone softening a smudge of a degree. Sasuke shook his head and changed the subject, keeping his own voice as evenly dull as possible.

"What is this thing called_ love_, anyway? It's a weakness that seems to plague every other person around me, yet I can't say I've ever felt it. I can't even honestly say I think it exists. If it does, then it serves no purpose other than to bring misery to those who succumb to it. I'd sooner slit my own neck before I'd desire such a nuisance,"

"Oh Sasuke… you couldn't be more wrong than Naruto was the day he decided that bright orange jumpsuit looked remotely cool. Love isn't a burden at all. There will come a time when you begin to care about another person more than yourself. When their happiness, well-being, and safety becomes your number one priority. When seeing them smile brings you the ultimate joy. This, in its purest form, is love. You can scoff at me for saying so, but I firmly believe that one day you'll realize that lump in your chest has room for more than just vengeance. It'll come soon enough. For now, you should focus on figuring out how you're going to convince Ino Yamanaka that you're breaking up with her,"

Smirking behind his mask, Kakashi rose to his feet and cast his eye once again over the clear, blue water around them. His novel had surely dissolved by now; not that it mattered, as he had a spare copy on his nightstand back at home. Offering a farewell to his pensive pupil, Kakashi turned and took his leave, already anxious to melt back into the background and watch the unfolding events from a safe distance.


	16. Rumor Has It

**A/N: Sorry about the delay in updating. Real life is pwning me right now, in both good and bad ways…**

**Paper Hearts**

**Chapter 16**

With every tear that had rushed down her rounded cheeks Naruto had felt the tip of a kunai tearing into the outermost edge of his heart. He had been unable to do a thing to stop her sorrow; even his Valentine hadn't helped. No, that had made it worse, the blonde had realized with a soft sigh. He had crumbled the card into a tight ball and tossed it into the brush behind him, his feet dragging into the dirt as he made his slow tread back into Konoha.

'_I'm so stupid…seriously… what was I thinking? Sakura doesn't love a loser like me… she's still into Sasuke… and… he…'_

Naruto inwardly grimaced at the reality that faced him. Sasuke was fighting against the possibility that was so obvious even the dense Uzumaki was able to see it with clarity. Sasuke felt something for Sakura; not love, perhaps, but certainly some sort of beginnings of fondness. Otherwise he wouldn't have reacted so strongly to her agony nor would he be so concerned with getting back into the pinkette's good graces. Slumping against the nearest building, Naruto leaned his weight into the yellow painted brick and stared up into the crisp, February sky above. He couldn't bear to think that either one of his teammates, his dearest friends, were in any sort of pain.

'_There's only one way for me to make up for what I've done… but if I do… I lose Sakura forever…but if I don't…I guess she was never mine to lose anyway. If it'll make her happy, and Sasuke too… I gotta do it. I'll help fix all the trouble I've caused, believe it!'_

As reluctant as he was, there was no stopping the current of determination pooling into his veins. Naruto knew exactly what he had to do, and that if he had any hopes of fixing his mess before the dawning of Valentine's Day only forty-eight hours away, he had to do it soon. He pushed himself off the wall and hit the cement running.

**~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~**

What about Sakura, Sasuke had to wonder, as the sounds of Kakashi's footsteps died with the passing breeze. Strands of his ebony locks played across his skin, tickling the area slightly until he brushed them back into place with an impatient air of annoyance.

'_What about her? As much as I hate to admit it, Sensei's right. I owe her enough respect to tell both her and that Yamanaka swine that I don't have feelings for them, that I never have and never will. I can't avoid hurting their feelings forever,'_

Sighing to himself, Sasuke slowly got to his feet and stretched his sore limbs, mulling over what he wanted to actually say to each of the girls. Sakura should be the first, he decided, as they were both on the same team and she was already hurting because of him. It would be best to just clear the air between them now in hopes that things could go back to normal. All he had to do now was find her and tell her that he didn't love her.

**~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~**

The pounding of the gravel silenced the buzzing of hushed whispers as the roomful of teenage girls sat straighter in their seats, some appearing nervous as they picked at a loose hangnail while others huffed angrily, glaring bullets into the eyes of anyone who dared make eye contact. Each and every one of them donned the same royal blue tee shirt with a familiar etching of a fan on the front.

"Okay, attention! I, President of the Sasuke Uchiha and His Ultimate Sexiness Fanclub, hereby call the meeting to order!"

Ino Yamanaka swiveled back and forth in her spinning chair set at the head of the room. Behind her loomed a larger than life sized poster of the man they all worshiped; standing nearly eight feet tall, Sasuke stood above the smitten girls with a blank face, managing an air of indifference even in paper form. Ino smirked at the girls who stared back at her; so many had crammed themselves into the little classroom that the air felt stuffy and hot despite the cooler temperature outside. All of them were here to pay homage to the perfection that was the remaining Uchiha heir, and having elected her their leader, were subsequently under her control.

"First piece of business; I want to thank all the girls who participated in our yearly Valentine Drive; I think we had more valentines delivered this year than ever before! So congratulations girls, give yourselves a round of applause; we do this all in His honor!"

Ino gestured at the poster over her shoulder and smiled as the room erupted in cheers.

'_Idiots! Just wait until I drop this next juicy bit of news on them!'_

She licked her lips and waiting as the room finally quieted again on its own. Straightening her posture in her seat, Ino cleared her throat and continued, in the most snobbish tone she knew, to address the rumors that had sprung up faster than even she had dared hope.

"Sooo I know there's a little bit of gossip going around and that you girls are just _dying_ to hear the truth. So, here it is, from my mouth to you; it's true! Our beloved Sasuke Uchiha himself made _me_ a romantic valentine and asked me out this morning! We are officially an item and, as clearly stated in the Cute Boys Handbook, Chapter Forty-Five subsection Eight, all of you have to back off my man!"

The other girls cried out in anger, in horror, and in utter misery. It was difficult for them to grasp that Sasuke was finally off the market. Many of them burst into tears at the news while others swore and beat the table in front of them. Yet there was no arguing with the heavy, dusty book held high in Ino's claws; when the club had first formed ten years ago that book had been created to establish the rules in hopes of avoiding as many post-relationship conflicts as possible. They had all read it cover to cover many, many times and took its teachings to heart. How else could they ensure order would restore itself in the case of Sasuke actually falling in love with and dating a girl?

"Oh. My. Jashin- Ino, you like, HAVE to tell us ALL ABOUT HIM!"

One of the girls begged from her seat. The others around her nodded in agreement, their eyes boring into Ino's as they waited to hear what life was like as 'Sasuke's girl'. Ino's snaky grin widened as she relayed the details of the morning, dramatizing some parts of course, until she got to the kiss they had shared. That, she told exactly how it happened, her hands clutching her blushing cheeks as she fought to keep her breath from expelling too quickly; the very thought of his perfect face so close to her own made her heart threaten to pound out of her chest and right into his awaiting hand.

"…and I already know what I'm giving him for Valentine's Day. I'm not going to spoil the surprise for any of you loudmouths out there, but I will say this: if Sasuke thought our first kiss was steamy, he won't be able to keep his hands off me when he sees me on the most romantic day of the year!"

Ino sighed wistfully as the screams and giggles of her fanclub rose to an ear splintering level. She pounded her gravel again until the room eventually softened, her expression still lost in the wonderful world of puppy love.

"Kirin, you have the minutes? Yeah? Okay, good. Club is dismissed until next week; remember bitches, stay away from Sasuke! He's mine now!"

With the meeting adjourned, Ino slid out of her seat and left the classroom Iruka-Sensei had been so kind to lend to them for their fangirl gatherings. Oh, yes, this surprise of hers was sure to shock Sasuke to his core. Ino could already hear the deep throated purr that would rise from his squared jaw as he fought to keep himself in check, her cheeks reddening at the mere thought.

'What's perfect is Sakura will be coming for those roses that day- I'll have the perfect chance to rub it in her face again!'

Ino sang to herself as she walked, vowing to take revenge on that medical nin for scaring her out of the apartment like a frightened pussy cat.


	17. Weight

**Paper Hearts**

**Chapter 17**

Tucking the never ending stacks of paperwork into neat, even rows inside the starched cardboard boxes, Sakura made quick work of the clutter that had been towering on her coffee table. She wanted to get it all filed away before the big, romantic holiday that was just around the corner; Valentine's Day she would have her plate full of delivering roses to the patients, if she could survive picking them up from the Yamanaka Flower Shop. Brushing a bead of sweat off her forehead with the back of her hand Sakura stared down at the four heavy boxes at her feet. It was going to be difficult to carry them all even with her super strength. Making a face at the task at hand, she kneeled down and stacked the boxes in twos, scooping them into the nooks of her elbows with deliberate care.

Wobbling only slightly under the awkward weight, Sakura opened the door to her apartment with her foot and slipped into the sunny world outside. The trek to the hospital was not a long one although the distance seemed double due to the dragging of her feet along the ground; she tried raising her arms higher above her head but that only made the load seem heavier than it was. Her face felt flushed and sweaty as she panted under the boxes that threatened to fall over at any moment.

"Hey, watch it!"

Someone growled as they pressed against the fence in an attempt to move out of Sakura's way. They glared at her and carried on their way, mumbling about the thoughtlessness of today's youth. She sighed loudly and continued on her way, trying her best not to run into unsuspecting pedestrians. As she turned to round the corner, a flash of blue in the front of her field of vision brought her to a stop, her eyes narrowing ever so slightly at the sight of the infamous Uchiha standing before her with his hands shoved inside the pockets of his shorts.

"Sakura,"

Sasuke said by means of greeting. Was he really going to try and talk to her right now after what had happened that morning? Sakura jerked her head in a nod of half-acknowledgment and continued on her way, side stepping around her teammate in silence. Sasuke spun on his heels and fell into pace beside her. The silence that had fallen between them was as stuffy and uncomfortable as could possibly be; he opened his mouth to breach it but no sound came out. The speech that Sasuke had spent hours preparing and memorizing prior to seeking out Sakura had suddenly become a blank slate in his mind. He had had all the words penned in exact precision to what he wanted to say but the twisting, churning feeling in his stomach seemed to gurgle them all into a tight, inaudible knot. He couldn't hear them echoing in his mind nor recall what, exactly, he had planned to say.

"Let me carry those,"

Sasuke said instead, raising a hand to relieve the pinkette of half her burden. He was more than willing to carry some, if not all, of those heavy looking boxes that Sakura struggled to carry; when his fingertips brushed lightly against her arm Sakura pulled away so quickly she nearly lost her balance.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?! Don't you lay a hand on me!"

She cried out loudly with a hardened glare plastered on her face. Sasuke froze, his hand still half raised between them. He stared back into her stone cold emerald orbs, shocked by the hardness he saw in them. She was truly angry with him, and for what, offering to assist her?

"I just wanted to help you carry your boxes. There's no need to get upset,"

Sasuke replied in a sour tone. He regretted his words as soon as he saw the flashing in her eyes; if she had been upset before it was nothing compared to now.

"Upset?! You think I'm upset? Why would I be upset with you? I'm fine! In fact, I'm better than fine- I'm great! But I don't need you following me around and butting into my private life. When we aren't on a mission or training as a squad there's no need for you to go out of your way to see me. Besides, your darling pig wouldn't appreciate it very much. Now, if you'll excuse me!"

Sakura snapped before marching away as quickly as the weight of the boxes allowed. Sasuke sighed but didn't chase after the retreating red back of his teammate. There would be no use talking to her now, not when her emotions were raging. She was in no mood to listen to reason and if he tried to confess his feelings, or lack thereof, it would only make matters worse.

'_What did I do? I didn't ask for Naruto to prank us. I didn't ask him to handle a… a love life I never wanted in the first place. If she would just listen, and understand…'_

Sasuke shook his head, clenching his fingers into tight, balled fists in his pockets. He had to do this, no matter how hard it would be. He had to tell Sakura the truth or else they would never get past the distance that had sprung up between them. She was already asking him to stay away from her, to avoid her at all costs save missions; sure, it was nice not to be bugged all the time by Kakashi and Naruto and her, but at the same time Sasuke wasn't content with the idea of Sakura not speaking to him ever again.

'_All this because she had to think she _loved _me,'_

He would make her see how foolish she had been to fall for the wiles of her heart, and clear the air between them. He had to; he owed her at least the peace of mind of knowing she didn't have to compete for his nonexistent affections any longer. Sasuke took off down the street in the direction Sakura had been heading, hoping he could figure out the right words to say when he got to her.


	18. Assistance

**Paper Hearts**

**Chapter 18**

Sakura had thought she was ready to face Sasuke after the events of the morning. She had told herself it would be fine, that if she continued on with life as if nothing had happened, she could survive the necessary encounters. Clearly that had been one fat lie, as the sight of Sasuke standing before her, his posture so casual yet awkwardly distant, she had been filled with a rage that burned so hot she thought her blood would boil in her veins.

'_How can he not know how much he hurt me today? I mean, he knows that I loved him… and he knows that he never loved me back, never said anything about it… so to then show up in the arms of Ino…'_

Sakura shook her head, desperate to clear the agonizing thoughts from her mind. The stinging betrayal was the last thing she wanted to dwell over but it was difficult to think of anything else. Occupied by the thoughts she couldn't shake, the pinkette barely noticed where she was going, her feet guiding her without the conscious assistance of her head.

"H-Hey!"

It wasn't until she felt herself ramming into something solid that Sakura awoke from her troubles, her vision turning white from the papers that had spewed from the fallen boxes. In the most ungraceful manner possible Sakura began to fall backwards, her arms flailing in search of anything to grab on to, a high pitched shriek filling her lungs.

"Careful!"

A pair of arms wrapped around her waist just in time to catch her; gently she was pulled to a standing position, finding herself staring up into the bold blue eyes of a stranger. The man's hair was a mousy color, almost like straw; perhaps there was a time when it had been blonde but had aged into a wispier shade tainted with brown.

"That couldn't have turned ugly, huh? Are you okay?"

Sakura could only shake her head in surprise; she didn't know who had saved her, but somehow, he seemed familiar. Could it be possible she knew this person from long ago?

"Y-Yeah, I mean, I am now. Thanks to you… but do I…know you?"

She cleared her throat as quietly as she could, hoping to alleviate the nervous stuttering that made her sound like a babbling fool. Her savior chuckled and rubbed the back of his head, smiling at her with a huge, goofy grin.

"Nah, I don't think so… wait, my name? O-Oh, right, that's an easy one! Ha ha! The name's Nar-Naraito, yeah...!"

He inwardly sighed a breath of relief; for a moment he had almost ruined his cover. If she noticed Naraito's suspicious behavior, she didn't comment on it. Instead, Sakura returned his smile with a small one of her own and let her eyes drift wearily over the papers that had blown across the sidewalk.

"I spent hours getting all these done right…!"

She kneeled down and began scooping up papers together, grabbing at them in no particular order. She was still angry, though, as she shoved them roughly back into one of the boxes.

"Here, let me help ya,"

Naraito plopped down across from her and, despite the medic nin's protests, assisted her in gathering all the fallen papers.

"Geez, are you writing a book or something? These pages are everywhere!"

He teased her as he moved to deposit his stack into the box. Sakura shook her head, smiling in spite of herself. Naraito lifted one of the papers closer to his eyes for inspection; when she noticed, Sakura shrieked again and nearly tackled him in her attempts to pull it from his hands.

"I work at the hospital, and these were supposed to be the confidential files of my clients,"

She explained hastily, realizing that she was nearly sitting on him from when she had tried to grab the files. Blushing darkly, Sakura backed off and continued jamming papers into boxes. With Naraito's help the task took little time, although because they had shoved the papers in a disorderly fashion the boxes looked even heavier.

"I'll help ya carry these too, okay?"

Naraito insisted, already lifting two of the boxes before Sakura could get a word in edgewise. She shrugged in acceptance and focused on picking up her own two boxes, finding her anger from the incident with Sasuke fading away with every second she spent with this new friend of hers.

"You don't really have to… but thanks. It's my fault, I should have been paying attention to where I was going,"

Sakura admitted as they walked, side by side, her face somewhat troubled at the thought of becoming yet another burden to a person. If he would have had a free hand Naraito would have waved her words away, his eyes twinkling with a sort of mischievous, carefree light that made her worries disappear if only for a moment.

"Don't worry about it, Sakura,"

Naraito grinned at her as he easily carried the two heavy boxes. Sakura's brow furrowed slightly in confusion.

'_That's weird… I didn't tell him my name...'_

Realizing his mistake, he quickly added,

"Er, that is your name, right? I might have peeped at some of your super secret files by accident and saw the name of the medic nin on duty,"

Sakura relaxed instantly and nodded, believing the incredibly smooth lie that flowed from his lips with ease. They continued talking as they walked, the occasional sound of Sakura's laugh following them as they did so. Much further behind the giggling duo stood Sasuke Uchiha. He had wanted to chase after Sakura and force himself to have that talk with her. He had wanted to help her sweep up her fallen paperwork and carry the heavy boxes for her. He had really wanted to make sure she was okay, and no longer angry at him for the things he couldn't control. But instead, Sasuke had found himself frozen as he watched a strange man do all those things for him.

"Don't you remember Sakura told us about the other guy she's getting flowers from?"

That was what Naruto had said before. Could it be possible that Sakura really was getting romantic attention? Sasuke had assumed that was all a part of Naruto's scheme, but here was Sakura, practically in the arms of another man, laughing and letting him help her. When he had offered she nearly bit his head off and screamed at him for his trouble.

'_Maybe I should have a talk with this guy. I need to understand what exactly he is to Sakura,'_

Sasuke growled to himself, ignoring the uncomfortable fluttering in his stomach. He hoped it didn't mean he was getting sick, but at the same time he didn't know what else the feeling could mean…


	19. Confrontation

**Paper Hearts**

**Chapter 19**

It would have been weird for him to just waltz inside the hospital after Sakura and her new friend. Sasuke dreaded being in one as it was; the starched rooms, all identical, stunk of death and decay as the patients lay withering in their beds. And talking to the pinkette would only cause a scene; the last thing he needed was more drama in his once peaceful life. Pausing just outside the swinging front doors, Sasuke eyed his reflection in the glass. The face that peered back was as stoic as always; pleased with the lack of emotion he saw in his coal colored eyes he moved aside and leaned against the cool wall of the hospital. He would wait as long as it took for that guy to show himself again.

**~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~**

"You can sit them down here,"

Sakura dropped her load of boxes on the surface of her desk and stretched out her arms, glad to be done with such a heavy burden. Naraito followed suit and rubbed the back of his head gleefully as he gazed at her. She smiled back somewhat uncertainly and edged closer to her seat. Her companion stayed where he was, glancing around her workplace with apparent interest despite the silence that had fallen.

"Thank you again for helping me. I need to get to file these all away now, though,"

She explained, hoping he would get the hint and leave.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, right. No problem! I'm always willing to help you out. I'll see ya around, Sakura!"

He saluted her lightly and turned to leave, waving his hand over his shoulder at her. Sakura blinked a few times to see if she had imagined the gesture but before she could comment on its familiarity Naraito was gone. She fell back in her seat and stared up at the bright lights above her, finally realizing why she had thought she had recognized the strange male.

'_He's just like Naruto…'_

**~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~**

Naraito sneezed into his sleeve as he exited the hospital. He wondered if someone was speaking of him at that very moment. Perhaps it was a beautiful young lady; he liked the prospect. Lost in the hope, he hadn't noticed anyone waiting outside the hospital; he walked out the doors and continued on his way, a dreamy expression on his face. Sasuke scoffed at the sight; _this _was the guy Sakura had fallen for? He seemed like such a brainless fool.

"Oi, you there,"

Sasuke called out, stuffing his hands in his pockets as he pushed off the wall he had been leaning against. He took long strides to close the distance between them but managed to catch up. Naraito didn't flinch when he woke up from his daydream and found himself walking beside the infamous Uchiha. He nodded politely, his smile something other than friendly.

"Yo, what's up?"

He asked casually, as if the two were old acquaintances. Sasuke's eyes narrowed suspiciously as they walked, finding himself suddenly unsure of how to go about their conversation. He supposed there was no use beating around the bush; if he wanted to figure this out once and for all, he would have to be direct.

"You were just walking with Sakura Haruno,"

Sasuke stated, gathering his thoughts as he mentally prepared himself for what needed to be asked.

"What, are you her stalker now? Yeah, I did walk with your pretty little friend. What of it?"

The other replied with a smirk, watching closely for Sasuke's reaction.

"What is your relationship with her? She didn't mention you to the rest of the team. I'm merely asking to make sure she's alright. Squad 7 needs her, now more than ever. I don't want to see her getting hurt,"

Sasuke answered smoothly, his tone smudged with a hint of intimidation that even Naraito couldn't miss.

"Sakura and I are just friends… right now. I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say you're jealous, 'cause of how you're reacting to Sakura seeing another guy. So I'll tell you what; you have tomorrow to tell Sakura how you really feel about her. One day, that's it- on Valentine's Day I'm gonna ask her out myself. Think you can manage that, Mr. Duck Hair?"

Naraito snickered. He had stopped walking, as did Sasuke, a livid expression on the Uchiha's face.

"How dare you- I don't have feelings for Sakura! She is nothing more to me than my teammate. I have no feelings to confess!"

Sasuke growled. That little laugh of Naraito's was starting to bother him.

"Then I guess you won't mind if I ask the bitch out, right?"

He smirked and jumped back a few feet as Sasuke's leg shot out for a well aimed kick.

"Don't you dare talk about her like that! Apologize for what you just said!"

Sasuke demanded, his hand reaching for a shuriken. Naraito raised his hands in a defensive manner despite the grin on his lips.

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry. Jashin, you're a sensitive boyfriend-to-be, aren't ya? Look, it's like I said. You got one day then I'll be after that ass. If you don't want me going out with her you'd better beat me to it,"

In a cloud of smoke, Naraito was gone. Sasuke stuffed his shuriken back into his pouch, breathing heavily from the anger that coursed through his veins. He may not have had feelings for her, but that didn't mean he would stand by and let Sakura's heart get trampled by some jerk that wasn't going to treat her right. Sasuke touched his stomach with his fingertips, feeling that same, twisting grip on his gut. He wasn't sure what was going on inside his body, or his mind for that matter. All he really knew was he needed to convince Sakura that that guy was only going to hurt her.

'_Hurt her like I did…'_

Sasuke sighed with a shrug of his shoulders. He wouldn't even begin to know how to talk to her about it. He slowly dragged one foot over the other and began to walk again, no particular destination in mind. All he really wanted was to be alone again and pretend everything was fine, but he wasn't nearly naïve enough to allow himself that false sense of security. He would have to face his problems like a _shinobi_, one way or another.

**A/N: Sorry for the series of shorter chapters. Like I said, I just have some stuff going on in the real world…**


	20. Discomfort

**Paper Hearts**

**Chapter 20**

Naruto was somewhat exhausted after maintaining his transformation jutsu for such a long period of time. It had been difficult; any obvious shift in his chakra would have alerted Sasuke to the trick. He had been overall pleased with the 'Naraito' performance, wanting to think he had fooled Sasuke and Sakura yet again without much difficulty on his part.

'_I had to do it though! 'Cause if I don't, Sasuke's never gonna wake up and realize how he feels!'_

Naruto grinned to himself as he made his way back home. Even though his mission now was to hook his teammates up, he couldn't deny the incredible warmth that had flowed through his veins when he had walked with Sakura. He had enjoyed making her laugh as he showed off his strength by helping her with all those boxes. Still, it was Sasuke who should have been showing off, trying to regain the pinkette's favor. Naruto sighed, his smile faltering slightly. He had done all he could. The ball was in Sasuke's court now. If the remaining Uchiha heir wanted to win the girl, he would have to step up his game and search deep inside his heart.

'_Yeah… he's probably going to need my help again…'_

**~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~**

Sasuke woke up with an unbearably sore ache in his chest. Groaning slightly as his eyes adjusted to the brilliant sunlight streaming in through the window, he raised a hand, numb from having slept on it, and laid it against his bare trunk. The methodic thumping below his fingertips echoed loudly in the silence of the room, his breath slowly leaking out like the air out of a balloon. He wasn't sure why he felt so strange, so agonized in that spot where his heart resided. And then it hit him. Memories of yesterday flooded his mind in swirling waves of mixed emotions, giving him a headache to match the pain in his chest.

'_What is happening to me?'_

Sasuke forced himself to a sitting position, hoping to clear his head with the sudden movement. His eyes shifted up to glance cursorily around his bedroom, frowning at the glimmering morning light. Eventually, his gaze fell upon the official Squad 7 photograph that Kakashi had had framed for each of them, as a gift for their early successes as a newly formed team. They all looked so young in that photo; he rolled his eyes at the scowl on his and Naruto's faces, hardly remembering whatever they had been bickering about right before that photo had been taken.

Kakashi had his usual smirk hidden behind his mask, as if he had seen it all before. With an air of reluctance, Sasuke forced himself to look at Sakura. In that picture, her hair was still long; he had been aware of the rumor that had spread about his apparent fondness for girls with long hair. It had no merit, as he didn't care very much one way or the other, but one by one girls around the village had begun growing out their locks in vain hopes of catching his eye. He did have to admit though, as his eyes traced the upward curve of her smile, her forehead which he knew better than to mention, that her hair looked much nicer short. It made her look stronger, much fiercer than that delicate burden she had been before.

'_That Naraito guy was wrong; I don't love her. But I owe her for healing me so many times. I can't go on with her being angry at me. I have to make things right,'_

Sasuke sighed as he stood up, cracking his back slightly as his heart continued aching in that strange way he'd never felt before.

"Sakura… I'm coming, whether either of us likes it or not,"

**~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~x~**

"A..A…ACHOO!"

The sudden sneeze brought Sakura out of her reprieve; the thin, fluffy towel that covered her damp form slipped an inch as she straightened her back, pulling away from the bathroom mirror. She had been carefully plucking stray hairs from her thin eyebrows when the sneeze had caught her off guard. She eyed her face carefully, inspecting for any she may have missed, pleased to see that even that sneeze hadn't messed up her plucking.

"Someone must be talking about me,"

She sang to her reflection, in an oddly good mood for so early in the day. Sakura wasn't sure why; she had woken up before her alarm feeling refreshed. Lady Tsunade, after having noticed all the paperwork Sakura had filed the day before, had decided to let the pinkette have today off so that she could relax before the big, romantic holiday tomorrow.

"This just might turn out to be a nice day after all,"

Sakura sighed happily as she slipped into her casual clothes, basking in the sweet, sweet tranquility of her silent apartment. The possibilities of the day were endless; she could light a few candles, watch a movie, go for a stroll- her thoughts were interrupted by the loud pounding on her door. Somehow, as she dragged her feet reluctantly to the door, the fact that she had a visitor didn't bode well. Lately having people show up at her house only brought trouble.

"Oh. It's only you,"

Sakura cracked open the door and peered out, coming face to face with a sullen Uchiha. She widened the doorway and leaned against its frame, crossing her arms against her small bosom. Sasuke cleared his throat slightly, his eyes gazing to the side in that super cool way that used to drive her wild. Now, it seemed awkward. Cowardly, even, as if he was too afraid to stare her in the eyes. Smirking, Sakura decided to tease him a bit; she still hadn't completely forgiven him for what happened before.

"What's the matter with you, Sasuke? You don't seem like yourself. Did you and your girlfriend have a fight today?"

She asked him in that same, singing voice she had used with her reflection in the bathroom.

"Hn,"

Sasuke's gaze hardened, clearly not amused.

"Oh, come on, can't you take a joke?"

"…Ha ha. You're very amusing,"

Sasuke replied sourly. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched the way she rolled her own emerald orbs in annoyance with his answer. She must have showered recently; he noticed the strands of damp locks clinging to the smooth paleness of her skin. Shifting uncomfortably in the following silence, he knew he had to say something. Sakura was watching him expectantly while waiting for him to announce what it was he wanted.

"Sakura…"

The Uchiha heir turned to face her, the blank look on his face seemingly forced, as if he was struggling to lock his emotions inside. Though her brows furrowed in confusion, Sakura remained quiet, still waiting. Sasuke breathed deeply and jammed his hands in his pockets, his posture stiff.

"Do you…want to take a walk with me?"

**A/N: Sorry for the wait guys! D:**


	21. Walking and Watching

**Paper Hearts**

**Chapter 21**

"Excuse me?"

Sakura was certain she had misheard. There wasn't a chance in a million years that the exclusive Sasuke Uchiha was voluntarily asking her to spend unnecessary quality time together. Having showered not long before, it was more likely that water had clogged her ears and obscured what Sasuke had actually said. The Uchiha male was not fond of repeating himself and slowly slid his gaze onto her face in a quiet, tense manner that instantly alerted her that he was annoyed. She shrunk back into the doorframe under that serious, unwavering stare, shrugging her shoulders for lack of a better response. This wasn't like Sasuke at all, and the sheer queerness of his behavior intrigued her enough to actually consider taking him up on the offer.

"Er… yeah. I mean, I guess I can put off my plans for a little while. Let me grab my shoes,"

Sakura slipped back inside and clicked the door shut. She paused for just a moment to run a hand through her damp locks, allowing the confusion to cloud her features as she struggled to comprehend what the hell was going on outside her doorstep.

'_That was ungodly agonizing,'_

The sight of Sakura disappearing behind her closed door brought a slight wave of relief over the male's toned shoulders, his posture relaxing just a hair as he let his eyelids fall like curtains. He had no idea what he was doing, and was certain he was making an ass of himself. It just might have been a mistake to come and collect the medic nin when he was clearly not ready to confront what had happened with Ino, and Naruto, and the two of them.

'_If I had any more wit than Naruto, I'd leave now before-'_

"I'm ready,"

Sakura appeared again, her expression less than enthusiastic as she moved to stand beside her comrade. She glanced at him but said nothing else, waiting for him to either speak or lead the way to whatever destination he had in mind. She pretended not to notice the way his eyes, blacker than night, scanned her up and down for just a second, as if taking in exactly how she looked. Despite the fact she was probably imagining such a thing, her cheeks flushed a pale shade of strawberry. Without saying a word, Sasuke motioned her forward with his chin before he began walking, his pace casual but deliberate.

'_This is beyond awkward… not to mention if his little piglet sees us together, I'll never hear the end of it…'_

Sakura clasped her hands behind her back and fell into pace beside him. She hadn't a clue where they were heading, or why. But, as she stifled a sigh behind her lips, she supposed it didn't really matter the destination or purpose. The two of them hadn't been on the best terms as of late, which would prove problematic later when Squad 7 got together for their next mission. It was bound to be difficult but the sooner they resolved this confusing, muddled mess of relationships the better off everyone would be.

"So… how about this weather? It's been crazy this year. Hardly any snow, but with all this rain turning on and off,"

Sakura swallowed back a groan; was she really going to try and talk to Sasuke about _the weather_? Apparently not, as Sasuke grunted inaudibly in reply and said nothing more on the topic. Uncomfortable silence seemed to win out this time. Her shoulders slumped as she followed her teammate into the village's main street, scanning her emerald orbs skywards to view the salt and pepper clouds that were scattered above. Would it rain yet again, or would it stay away for a little longer? It was impossible to tell lately.

'_Something's wrong,'_

She mused to herself, permitting her eyes the slightest askance glance to the Uchiha at her side. To any passerby, he may have seemed normal. His wide, firm hands were balled tightly in his pockets as he walked at a casual pace, thin locks of velvety ebony locks falling down into his field of vision. The expression on his face was as if carved from the coldest, hardest stone, as unreadable and apathetic as the Hokage heads towering over the village yonder.

But whether she wanted to admit it or not, she knew Sasuke well; after hundreds of missions spent fighting by his side she had come to read his mannerisms with ease. There was a slight twitch to his jaw as they walked together, and from the way his brows furrowed towards the bridge of his nose, she knew right away something was on his mind. That would explain why he asked her to walk with him; most likely he was working up the gusto to tell her what was wrong, although why he was so hesitant to do so was beyond her.

'_If I could just break this tension that's between us...maybe he'd open up then?'_

The streets were brimming with villagers mingling in huddles up and down the sidewalks. Kiosks offering a variety of homemade goods lined the street sides as children dashed through the gaps between crowds, chatter and laughter rising far above their heads in clouds of giddy elation. Sasuke seemed uninterested in the hustling activity and continued walking as if nothing was happening around him. A slight frown wedged its way upon her thin lips as Sakura gazed longingly at the stands, wishing they would stop to browse.

"Hey, Sasuke…"

She did a double take as they passed the nearest kiosk, an idea sparking inside her salmon colored head. Lost in troubled thoughts, Sasuke hadn't realized that Sakura spoke his name. He hadn't even noticed at first that she had stopped walking and was no longer at his side. Further down the street it began to dawn on him the emptiness beside him, the absence of Sakura's quiet, steady breathing.

"Where did-"

His eyes scanned for the pinkette as his stomach did a series of twists that made him inwardly cringe. Had she abandoned him because of the silence, or because he had called on her without warning? Or was it because she was still ticked off over the misunderstanding with Ino? Did Naruto spin her another lie, augmenting his entangled, undesired love life? She was a strong enough fighter to defend herself, but as unlikely as it was, his heart seemed to speed up at the possibility of someone snatching her when he wasn't looking. If Ino happened to see them out together, he wouldn't put it past her to take revenge on his teammate.

"HEY, Sasuke! WAIT UP, would you?!"

Sakura's voice called out to him from afar; at the sound of her feminine tone, Sasuke spun to face her, his eyes widening ever so slightly with the relief he refused to acknowledge. None-the-less, it was there, burning inside his rapidly pounding heart. The sight of her racing towards him, one hand clutched behind her back, safe and sound, brought with it the unmistakable feeling of reprieve. His worries mangled together in a tight ball and were expelled in the sigh that let loose from his lips as Sakura came to a stop in front of him, her form slightly bent over as she panted heavily.

"You left me there, _baka_!"

She accused him with a look of annoyance, her free hand resting on her hip. The other she still had hidden behind her, just out of sight.

"I didn't realize you had left,"

Sasuke frowned, eyeing the crook of her elbow. It was all he could see of what was hidden behind her back, though there was curiosity in his orbs. He wasn't a fan of surprises, preferring to be told of everything beforehand at all times. Sakura followed his gaze and smirked slightly, raising her hand from her hip to wave her index finger knowingly.

"I bet you're wondering what's behind my back!"

"Hn,"

"…ugh, forget it. Here,"

Sakura rolled her eyes before bringing her hand above her head and tossing the unknown object at his face. Sasuke's alabaster hand shot out to catch it inches from his face, the faintest flickers of surprise echoing across his face as he brought the item down for inspection. Clasped in the palm of his hand was a ripe, plump tomato.

"I swear that's the only thing I've ever heard you express the slightest fondness for,"

She shook her head but smiled slightly, pleased with the shock she could find in Sasuke's face.

"Well, are you just going to stand there with that look on your face, or are you going to eat it?"

Sasuke scowled back at her question and bit into his treat, the red juice dripping down his chin as he chewed quietly. He watched her as he snacked, unsure of why she had done such a thing. Aware of his unwavering gaze, Sakura pretended to gag at him, laughing afterwards to show she was only teasing him over his love for the disgusting habit of eating tomatoes raw.

"Why did you do this?"

Sasuke finally asked as the last chunk of tomato was swallowed. He wiped at his chin with the back of his hand. A yellow seed still clung to the corner of his mouth. Sakura stuck her tongue out at him and, before he could stop her, reached over and flicked the seed off of his face. He flinched from her touch and openly glowered in annoyance, to which Sakura tossed back her head and laughed.

"What, a girl can't buy her teammate a snack now and then? You could try thanking me instead, you know,"

She dropped her hand from his face, her words echoing between them as Sasuke fought desperately to keep his face blank despite the swirling emotions tightening his stomach. He could still feel the warmth of her fingertip pressing against the corner of his mouth as she brushed the seed away, could still hear the euphonic ringing of her laugher in the air, but he still couldn't figure out why any of that should matter to him. Ignoring once more the thumping of his heart, Sasuke adverted his eyes off to the side, refusing to look at Sakura directly as his bangs fell down over his eyes.

"…Thank you…Sakura,"

**A/N: Jashin, it's taking me too long to update. I promise to work on that, and tried to make up for it with a longer chapter. I promise you'll be getting some fluff now as the end of the fanfic looms in the horizon. Please bear with me for just a little while longer!**


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